Hand Washing Practices Research Articles

Nurses’ Knowledge and Practice Regarding the Prevention of Complications COVID-19 at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Bogura, Bangladesh

Background: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) was an emerging public health problem threatening the lives of over 2.4 million people globally. It was a great challenge for the management of all hospitals to respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak at the early stage in the world. The most prominent problems were the arrangement of medical staff to diagnose and treat patients with COVID-19 and the allocation of medical protective equipment. The estimated basic reproductive number of the virus is significantly higher than many other infectious diseases, which can potentially result in the capacity of health facilities becoming overwhelmed, even in the countries with the most developed healthcare systems. Objective: The aim was to assess the level of nurses and practice regarding preventing complications of COVID-19 at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Bogura. Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study design was used, and a sample size of 110 that was a purposive sampling technique followed those who met the inclusion criteria to assess the nurses’ practice regarding the prevention of complications of COVID-19 at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Bogura. The study was conducted from July 2021 to December 2021. The instruments for data collection were a semi-structured questionnaire composed of three parts: Demographic variables, knowledge, and practice-based information on the prevention of COVID-19 complications. Results: The findings of the present study revealed that the demographic information the highest 40.91% were within ≤ 30 years of age, 77.27% were female, 90% were Muslim, 87.27% were married, and 46.36% were diploma in nursing. The average level of knowledge, 38.18%, was a high level of knowledge regarding the prevention of COVID-19, which may be due to their clinical experiences. Conclusion: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global public health threat, creating a pandemic worldwide. The preventive measures include strict quarantine and screening, as well as education to promote the use of masks and hand-washing practices. Nurses’ roles in the disease are an important cognitive key in public health regarding prevention and promotion.

Post-Operative Wound Infections and its Risk Factors in Surgical Wards at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital

Post-operative wound infections are a pressing concern in surgical wards, contributing to increased morbidity, mortality, healthcare costs, and prolonged hospital stays. This study investigates the prevalence and risk factors of postoperative wound infections in the surgical wards of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional design was employed, encompassing 300 participants who underwent surgical procedures at the hospital. Structured questionnaires and observational techniques were used to collect data on demographic attributes, hand hygiene practices, dressing techniques, sterilization procedures, environmental cleanliness, and patient-related elements. The study revealed that among the participants, 135 (45.0%) practiced hand washing before dressing, while 198 (66.0%) practiced hand washing after dressing. The dressing technique of the doctor or nurse was perceived as proper by 154 participants (51.3%), while 174 (58.0%) reported that dressing materials were sterilized. Moreover, 183 participants (61.0%) perceived the bed sheets to be clean, while 161 (53.7%) considered the cleanliness of the patient's dress to be satisfactory. Additionally, 196 participants (65.3%) reported that the instruments used were sterilized, and 191 (63.7%) found the arrangement of the trolley to be proper. Statistical analyses were performed to assess relationships between variables. No significant relationship was found between educational status and cleanliness of bed sheets (χ² = 0.41, df = 3, p > 0.05), or between educational status and cleanliness of the patient's dress (χ² = 10.38, df = 3, p > 0.05). These results suggest that educational status may not significantly impact these aspects of infection control. The study underscores the complex nature of postoperative wound infections and infection control practices. Findings align with previous research on surgical site infections (SSIs) and emphasize the importance of standardized protocols, consistent surveillance, and context-specific interventions. The study's contributions offer valuable insights for optimizing infection control strategies in similar healthcare settings. Through the implementation of recommended strategies, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and other healthcare institutions can enhance infection control practices, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and reduced rates of post-operative wound infections.

PEMBELAJARAN DINI PERILAKU HIDUP BERSIH DAN SEHAT (PHBS) DI SD NEGERI 001 PERHENTIAN RAJA

Clean and healthy living behavior is a health behavior carried out by self-awareness. Implementing PHBS can be useful in improving health in the environment around the school. Education in children needs to be instilled from an early age, including teaching clean and healthy living behavior. One of the benefits is that children get used to doing this good thing, so that it carries over into adulthood. So the author aims to provide early learning regarding clean and healthy living behavior at SD Negeri 001 Perhentian Raja. This research uses descriptive research with research methods using several implementation stages, namely initial observation, providing direction and information and hand washing practices. Educational activities were followed enthusiastically until the activity was completed. Students are able to follow movements as examples of behavior that is classified as PHBS

Increasing children's literature capacity through village library during the Covid-19 pandemic

Literacy is defined as the ability to read, write and a person's ability to see the world and store information. The library is an effort to support education by providing teaching resources, information and references. During the Covid-19 pandemic, it was reported that there was a decrease in visits to the library. Like libraries in other areas, Muda Bhakti library located in Ngablak Village, Srumbung District, Magelang Regency, Central Java has also reportedly experienced a decrease in visitors during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is necessary to make innovations and concrete programs that are in accordance with the situation and conditions of the local community, especially targeting children, considering children are easy targets to be educated in an interesting way. The purpose of this community service is to carry out a children's literacy movement through the reactivation of the Muda Bhakti library during the Covid-19 pandemic. There are five main programs carried out in this service, namely 1) socialization of health protocols at the Muda Bhakti library during the Covid-19 pandemic, 2) hand washing practices according to WHO standards, 3) group learning for children in the library, 4 ) competitions in the form of writing short stories and coloring, 5) donations and book processing. The methods used to run the program are lectures, demonstrations and practice. This activity was attended by children from kindergarten to elementary school with a total of 60 children. This community service expected that it will be able to increase the literacy capacity of children during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hand Washing – its Awareness and Practices Among School Children and Facilities Available in Rural Government Schools of District Rohtak, Haryana

Introduction: Hand washing with soap (HWWS) is one of the single most cost-effective public health interventions. HWWS is effective in reducing diarrhea and can reduce its risk up to 48% and acute respiratory infections by more than 20%. Government of India launched Swachh Bharat Swachh Vidyalaya program, which also provided guidelines for hand washing i.e., availability of soap at hand washing stations, hand washing to be done before mid-day meal and also after use of toilet or urinal. The objective of the study was to assess knowledge and practices of hand washing among school children along with adequacy of available hand washing facilities and contributors responsible for it.
 Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in all Government schools of Lakhan Majra block, Rohtak, Haryana, India. Thirty-Eight schools for provision of facilities and 613 students for assessing knowledge, practice and behavior change were included in the study employing stratified random sampling technique. Semi-structured interview schedule was used for data collection.
 Results: All schools had hand washing facilities. Soap was available in 63.2% and 97.2% students knew benefits of hand washing while 88.9% of them were promoting it also. Less than one fifth of the students could demonstrate the correct steps of hand washing.
 Conclusions: Majority of students were aware of washing hands before and after critical times. Soap availability in schools was inadequate

Assessing the Impact of a Handwashing Knowledge and Practices Program among Poor Households in Rural Bangladesh: A Cluster-Randomized Pre-Post Study.

Improvement in hand hygiene has been strongly associated with positive outcomes in maternal and child health. Although Bangladesh has a high level of awareness of key hygiene messages, the practice of handwashing, the most effective hygiene behavior, is low. Suchana, a multisectoral nutrition program, aims to increase knowledge and practices around various water, sanitation, and hygiene settings in Sylhet region, the northeast of rural Bangladesh. This study aimed to investigate the changes in indicators related to handwashing knowledge and practices among Suchana beneficiaries in final compared with baseline evaluations. Data were derived from the baseline and final cross-sectional evaluation survey. The following handwashing knowledge and practices were considered: handwashing before preparing food, before eating food and feeding children, before serving food, after defecation, and after touching animals. The descriptive findings indicate that Suchana intervention improved handwashing knowledge and practices in the intervention area compared with the control. The odds of having knowledge of hand washing before preparing food (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.30-1.98), before eating food and feeding children (aOR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.25-2.25), before serving food (aOR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.04-1.76), after defecation (aOR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.25-2.41), and after touching animals (aOR: 1.67; 95% CI: 1.29-2.16) were higher in intervention area than the control area. Similarly, the impact on maternal handwashing practices at final evaluation indicated successful effects of the intervention. These results suggest scaling-up of similar interventions for larger populations living in vulnerable areas of rural Bangladesh.

An Overview of Clean and Healthy Living Behavior Practices in the Islamic Boarding-Based Education (Pondok Pesantren) Environment

Clean and Healthy Living Behavior (CHLB) practices in a congregate setting like Pondok Pesantren plays a vital role in maintaining the health of each individual living in. This study aims to provide an overview of student’s (Santri) CHLB practices at the Pondok Pesantren Assalafiyah 2 Mlangi. It is a quantitative study using a descriptive analysis approach conducted in July-September 2022. A non-probability sampling with a total sampling of 848 santri were used. The data were collected using self-administered questionnaires developed on Google Form and imported to Microsoft Excel for further data analysis. Several indicators were assessed, including personal health maintenance, CHLB implementation, and environmental cleanliness. The results showed that the students consume fruit less than 2 timers per day (89.3%), vegetables less than 3 times per day (45.6%), drinking 6-9 glasses of water (18.3%), only 4.2% have routine exercise schedule with the duration more than 120 minutes per week, and only 44.7% students have regular sleep patterns of 6-8 hours per day. The CHLB practices implementation and environmental cleanliness used the indicators of good hand washing practices, regular bathroom and dormitories cleaning, and the overall cleanliness of the Pondok Pesantren achieved good performance which scored around 55.1-64.4%. While 45.8-50% of the students reported an average good scoring for the available cleaning and healthcare facilities. The results of this study will be used to develop recommendations related to the importance of basic personal health education using CLHB practices to promote and prevent disease transmission in congregate facilities. To improve the overall health outcomes of the students, there are some measures that could be taken, including providing training for health cadres, provision of proper healthcare facilities, and developing digital health interventions such as telemedicine applications for further consultation with healthcare professionals.

Assessment of practice of handwashing as Covid-19 preventive measure among medical students of Abia State University Teaching Hospital, (ABSUTH) Aba, Abia State, Nigeria

Background: Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is a communicable disease which is causing morbidity and mortality globally. Hand washing, wearing of a facemask and social distancing are preventive measures that have been options available in our country, Nigeria. The practice of hand washing includes cleansing of hands by rubbing both hands together using and alcohol-based hand sanitizer or washing both hands with soap and water to prevent microbial growth. Objective: This study aimed at assessing the practice of hand washing as a covid-19 preventive measure amongst medical students of ABSUTH, Aba. Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among medical students in ABSUTH, Aba, Abia State, A self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was adopted and used to obtain information from the 430 students. Numerical variables were summarized using mean and standard deviation, categorical variables were summarized using frequency and proportions. Association was tested at p-value of 0.05%. Result: There was a non-response rate of 50 (13.8%) as 380 students participated. Mean age of the participants was 24 ± 5.94. Two hundred and eighty-one (73.9%) constituted the majority and was found among the 21 – 25 age range. Female was in majority as 230 (60.5%) of them participated. The level of practice of handwashing was 195 (51.3%). Majority of the students scored above 52% in all the different aspects of handwashing practices and there was statistically significant association between all the hand washing practices and medical students’ participation at a p-value of 0.05%. Conclusion: Medical students showed a good level of practice towards infection and control measures. Social media was major source of information. Some misconceptions were noted regarding minimum duration of handwashing with soap and water and level of practices.

Intestinal parasitic infections and risk analysis among urban refugees in the Klang Valley, Malaysia.

Global studies show intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) have been introduced and spread with refugee inflows from low to high socio-economic countries. However, there is relatively limited information on the prevalence of infections among the community. A 2-year cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors for infections among urban refugees in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. A total of 418 faecal samples were collected and examined by microscopy. Faecal screening revealed moderate levels (32.3%) of infections in the community. Three nematode (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm) and three protozoan species (Entamoeba, Giardia and Cryptosporidium) were recorded, with the highest prevalence being A. lumbricoides (20.6%) followed by T. trichiura (10.3%), while other infections were <5%. Statistical analysis found that young males with less education were more likely to be infected with helminths. Additionally, living near waste disposal sites, the presence of stray animals, eating with bare hands, bare footedness, poor handwashing practices and no anthelmintic treatment constituted significant risk factors for helminth infections. Protozoan infections were linked to drinking tap water or from water dispensers and poor handwashing practices. These findings emphasize the importance of health education in addition to introduction of biannual anthelmintic treatment to promote community health and well-being.

Clinical Impact of Hand Hygiene by KAP Survey among Medical Students

Objective: To determine knowledge, attitude and practices of hand hygiene among students of Fazaia Medical College. Study Design: Observational cross-sectional study. Place and Duration: The study was carried out at department of Pathology, Fazaia Medical College, Air University E-9 Islamabad. The duration of our study was 8 months from June 1st 2020 to January 31st 2021. Methodology: A questionnaire having 13 closed ended items regarding knowledge, attitude and practice of hand washing among medical students was used to collect data. A total of 247 medical students participated in the study. Data was collected and analyzed on SPSS version 23. Results: Sixty-seven percent students expressed that they had basic knowledge and had practicing attitude towards hand washing. Majority of students (90%) practiced hand washing during their interaction with patients in clinical rotations and in their routine activities at FMC. However, healthier hand washing practices among female medical students were observed as compared to male students. Conclusion: The medical students of FMC had moderate knowledge and positive attitude towards hand washing practices. Keywords: Hand Hygiene, Awareness, Patient Safety, Control of Infections, Hand Wash. How to Cite This: Zehra N, Hashim R, Waseem H, Hashim S, Niazi A, Khadija S. Clinical Impact of Hand Hygiene by KAP Survey among Medical Students. Isra Med J. 2032; 14(4): 157-160. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55282/imj.oa1377

Hand hygiene practices during meal preparation—a ranking among ten European countries

BackgroundThe aim of this paper was to map consumers’ food hygiene practices from 10 European countries and evaluate which demographic groups are more likely to be exposed to foodborne pathogens and establish a ranking of adherence to food hygiene practices in 10 European countries.MethodsThe research design consisted of a cross-national quantitative consumer survey regarding food safety and hygiene practices during meal preparation (SafeConsume project) and was conducted in ten European countries (France, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain and UK). The survey questions were based on recommended hand hygiene practices and on observed practices from a field study performed in 90 European households from six of the countries covered by the survey (France, Hungary, Norway, Portugal, Romania, and UK).SPSS Statistics 26 (IBM Software Group, Chicago, IL) was used for the descriptive and regression analyses of the data. Regression analyses were used to check the relation between demographic characteristics, country of origin and self-reported hand hygiene practices.ResultsAccording to the regression models, families with elderly members aged over 65 showed a higher tendency to follow proper hand washing practices compared to families without elderly members. Meanwhile, families with children under the age of 6 reported being up to twice as likely to wash their hands at critical moments compared to families without children.Overall, taking into consideration the likelihood of washing hands after touching raw chicken and the percentages scores for proper hand cleaning methods and key moments for hand washing, the rank of the countries regarding proper hand hygiene practices was the following: Denmark, Greece, Norway, Romania, Hungary, Germany, UK, Portugal, France, and Spain.ConclusionsInformation and education should point both at the key moments as suggested by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) and the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH) and safe practices.Public health burden generated by improper hand washing may be significantly reduced if education is targeted on consumers’ behaviour and practices.

Hand washing knowledge and practice among nursing staff in Al Imam Al Hussein Medical City, Karbala

Hand washing knowledge and practice among nursing staff in Al Imam Al Hussein Medical City, Karbala

The Impact of Handwashing Education through Animation Videos on Knowledge and Attitudes towards Handwashing among UMY Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

In this study, the primary objective was to assess the impact of teaching about hand washing and video animation on the knowledge and attitudes of UMY students regarding hand washing during the Covid-19 pandemic. A one-group pre-posttest design was used, involving 63 student respondents selected through simple random sampling. Data was collected using a questionnaire, and the findings revealed a significant increase in both knowledge (p = 0.031) and attitudes (p = 0.040) towards hand washing. The study emphasizes the importance of educating students about hand washing practices, as it is expected to benefit them in their future roles in healthcare institutions, contributing to improved infection prevention and control measures. It is worth noting that this study focused solely on knowledge and attitudes towards hand washing and did not assess actual hand washing compliance.

The Impact of Handwashing Education through Animation Videos on Knowledge and Attitudes towards Handwashing among UMY Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

In this study, the primary objective was to assess the impact of teaching about hand washing and video animation on the knowledge and attitudes of UMY students regarding hand washing during the Covid-19 pandemic. A one-group pre-posttest design was used, involving 63 student respondents selected through simple random sampling. Data was collected using a questionnaire, and the findings revealed a significant increase in both knowledge (p = 0.031) and attitudes (p = 0.040) towards hand washing. The study emphasizes the importance of educating students about hand washing practices, as it is expected to benefit them in their future roles in healthcare institutions, contributing to improved infection prevention and control measures. It is worth noting that this study focused solely on knowledge and attitudes towards hand washing and did not assess actual hand washing compliance.

Prevalence of antibodies to Toxocara canis and its associated risk factors in socio-economically deprived nomadic communities of Pakistan.

Toxocariasis is an important zoonotic disease caused by Toxocara (T.) canis with considerably higher prevalence in developing countries. The data on its epidemiology, especially in socioeconomically deprived nomadic communities, are scarce in Pakistan. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of anti-T. canis antibodies and its associated risk factors in nomadic communities located in and around Multan, Pakistan. A total of 184 sera samples were collected from nomadic communities by simple random sampling technique. The descriptive epidemiological data of participants were collected on well-designed questionnaires. Prior consent was also obtained from the participants to use the data generated from their samples without showing their identity. All the samples were analysed for the detection of anti-T. canis antibodies using commercially available Enzyme-Linked-Immunosorbent-Assay (ELISA) kits having 91% sensitivity and 96% specificity (Bordier Affinity Products, Switzerland). The overall seroprevalence of toxocariasis among nomadic communities was 27.7% (51/184). Various factors, including age, known disease history, nutritional status, contact with dogs, practice of hand washing after contact with dogs, use of unwashed vegetables, body mass index, and drug abuse, showed significant correlation (p < 0.05) with toxocariasis in nomadic communities. Conversely, other factors, including gender, marital status, educational status, awareness about zoonotic diseases, source of drinking water, occupation, location, hand washing before taking food, exposure to soil, and hygienic eating behaviour, showed non-significant correlation (p > 0.05) with seroprevalence of toxocariasis. Results also showed that >50% of seropositive cases were asymptomatic, whereas cough and abdominal pain were recorded in 19.6% and 11.76% of seropositive cases, respectively. Keeping in view, it is suggested to conduct surveys at mass level to rule out the exact disease status at national level and to include nomadic communities in local, national, and regional disease control programs through provision of better healthcare facilities and awareness about the disease.

Environmental enteropathy and its association with water sanitation and hygiene in slum areas of Jimma Town Ethiopia.

Environmental Enteropathy is an inflammatory condition of the gut that leads to intestinal barrier dysfunction. It is a common problem in resource-limited countries and results from exposure to larger quantities of fecal bacteria to poor personal hygiene and environmental sanitation. Due to poor intestinal permeability, there is a problem with absorption of nutrients, which in turn leads to growth faltering, poor cognitive development, and oral-vaccine failure. The aim of this study was to identify the children with an elevated lactulose to mannitol ratio (indicative of possible environmental enteropathy) and its association with water sanitation and hygiene in slum areas of Jimma Town so as to mitigate the problem of malnutrition in under-five children. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out from January to April 2021. A Lactulose mannitol test was performed to determine the prevalence of elevated lactulose to mannitol ratio (possibly environmental enteropathy) in children aged 12 to 59 months. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect data on water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) indicators and sociodemographic characteristics. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to isolate independent predictors for possible environmental enteropathy. All tests were two-sided and statistical significance was declared at P<0.05. The results of this study showed that 19.3% (95%CI: 14.8-23.7) of children had an increased lactulose to mannitol ratio (>0.15). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, the variables drinking water from unimproved water sources (AOR 3.741; 95%CI: 0.914-15.310,p = 0.048), unsafe coverage of water storage (AOR 0.363; 95%CI: 0.169-0.777, P = 0.009), public latrine utilization (AOR 0.139 95%CI: 0.024-0.816, P = 0.029),and hand washing less than 3 critical time of hand washing practices (AOR 4.369;95%CI: 1.411-13.524,P = 0.011) were significantly associated with an increased in lactulose mannitol ratio (possible indicative of intestinal permeability/environmental enteropathy). This study showed that one fifth of under-five children in Jimma Town had an elevated lactulose to mannitol ratio (possibly environmental enteropathy). The WASH sectors and other governmental organizations should give emphasis to areas with poor water sanitation and hygiene to mitigate the problem of environmental enteropathy and related consequences like growth faltering, poor cognitive development, and oral-vaccine failure in the study area.

Edukasi Cuci Tangan dan Pembagian Masker bagi Ibu Hamil

Maternal mortality in Indonesia remains a big challenge. Currently, maternal health services cannot be separated from the impact both in terms of access and quality due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The World Health Organization stated that strict health care during a pandemic will have an impact on the use of health services, especially reproductive health services. The form of this activity is education on hand washing and distribution of masks for pregnant women. The expected output from this activity is the publication of an accredited institutional journal or journal. In addition, the results of this activity will be presented and published in a community service seminar. These activities include hand washing education, hand washing practices, provision of facilities for washing hands, distribution of masks and education on how to use masks correctly. Outreach and demonstrations have been proven effective in increasing knowledge and skills about washing hands and using masks as an effort to prevent transmission of COVID-19

Individual and Community-Level Risk Factors for Giardiasis in Children under Five Years of Age in Pakistan: A Prospective Multi-Regional Study.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Giardia lamblia infection and identify associated risk factors at both individual and community levels in a pediatric population in different agroecological zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to December 2022. Using stratified sampling, 1026 households were recruited from nine agroecological zones. Stool samples were collected from 1026 children up to the age of five years and processed for detection of Giardia using a commercial ELISA kit. Data on potential risk factors were collected using a pre-structured questionnaire. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify risk factors associated with giardiasis. The study found that the prevalence of giardiasis in the study area was 3.31%. Children aged 13-24 months were found to be at higher risk for giardiasis. Illiterate mothers and fathers attending daycare institutions/kindergartens, mothers not practicing hand washing during critical times, households with companion animals, and homes where stray dogs/cats enter were identified as predictors of giardiasis at the individual level. Children living in sub-mountain valleys use un-piped water, inadequate domestic water storage vessels, drink un-boiled or unfiltered water, live near rubbish heaps or un-paved streets/pathways, and have unimproved latrine facilities were identified as risk factors of giardiasis at the community level. The study highlights the need for integrated intervention approaches at both individual and community levels to reduce the incidence of giardiasis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Interventions aimed at promoting behavioral change and providing safe and adequate water sources, combined with individual-level interventions such as hand washing and awareness of giardiasis prevention methods, would be critical to addressing this health concern. Inter-sectoral collaboration between the health sector and other sectors would also be necessary to achieve meaningful progress in reducing the incidence of giardiasis in resource-limited areas.

Fear of COVID-19, risk perception and preventive behavior in health workers: a cross-sectional analysis in middle-income Latin American countries.

The aim of this study was to examine the association between fear of COVID-19 and risk perception with preventive behavior in health professionals from four Latin American countries. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted. Health professionals with on-site care in Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Peru were surveyed. Information was collected through an online self-report questionnaire. The main variables were preventive behavior as the dependent variable and fear of COVID-19 and risk perception as independent variables. Linear regression was used, and unstandardized beta coefficient and value of ps were calculated. Four hundred and thirty-five health professionals were included, the majority were aged 42 years or older (45.29, 95%CI: 40.65-50.01) and female (67.82, 95%CI: 63.27-72.05). It was shown that the greater the fear of COVID-19, the greater the preventive behavior of COVID-19 infection (B = 2.21, p = 0.002 for total behavior; B = 1.12, p = 0.037 for additional protection at work; B = 1.11, p < 0.010 for hand washing). The risk perception of COVID-19 infection had a slight direct relationship with preventive behaviours (B = 0.28, p = 0.021 for total behavior; B = 0.13, p = 0.015 for hand washing), with the exception of the preventive behavior of using additional protection at work (p = 0.339). We found that fear and risk perception are associated with increased practice of hand washing and use of additional protection at work. Further studies are required on the influence of working conditions, job performance and the occurrence of mental health problems in frontline personnel with regard to COVID-19.

Effectiveness of Teach Back Method on Knowledge and Practice regarding Hand washing among students of selected school

Introduction: Good hand hygiene is one of the most critical control strategies in outbreak management. Hand hygiene is defined as any method that removes or destroys microorganisms on hands. It is well-documented that the most important measure for preventing the spread of pathogens is effective hand washing. School going children are spending more time in school and they are in close contact with each other, sharing school materials everything from chairs to the desk, to crayons, to germs, and touching their faces. Thus the investigator intended to conduct the study to assess the knowledge and practice regarding hand washing technique among students studying in selected school. Material and Methods: A pre experimental one group pre-test post-test research design was used to assess the effectiveness of teach back method on knowledge and practice regarding hand washing among V to VII standard students of selected school. Total 60 school children’s were selected by probability simple random sampling technique. Findings: The result of the study revealed that the pre- test and post- test mean score of knowledge on hand washing technique, in the post- test score was (14.97±3.84) where in pre – test the score was (7.86±2.34) and post- test mean score of practice on hand washing technique. In post-test score was ((9.13±1.77)) where in pre-test score was ((4.76±0.84)). It indicates that students able to perform hand washing technique and it shows that teach back method is effective in improving hand washing techniques of students. Conclusion: the findings of the present study indicated regarding hand washing technique among school children’s, shows that knowledge on hand washing technique is good among school children’s of selected school. It indicates that the teach back method is effective in improving the knowledge level of school children’s of selected school. It should be emphasis that having teach back session with school students on hand washing practice improves their knowledge and practice.