Hand Hygiene Practices among Healthcare Professionals based on Theory of Planned Behaviour during Corona Pandemic in Pakistan.

Abstract

Introduction: In the time of novel corona virus pandemic, the improper hygiene practices have significantly associated with high incidence rate of this dreadful disease spread. Theory of planned behavior is the best cognitive model to understand healthcare professional’s adherence toward hand hygiene practices.
Objective: To evaluate the awareness, professional attitude and practices of health care professionals in relation to theory of planned behaviour during COVID-19.
Methodology: We studied health care professionals visiting a health care facility. Systematic random sampling method was adapted for data collection with 384 sample size. Awareness, professional attitudes and practices were calculated and using theory of planned behavior, behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs and control beliefs were accessed.
Results: In term of awareness and practices more than 70% of professionals were more prospective to follow hygiene of hands. However, using theory of planned behavior 70.1% of healthcare professionals were more into following hand hygiene practices but insisted to be more followed by their seniors and management.
Conclusion: During COVID-19 pandemic, behavioral beliefs are strongly responsible to develop adherence toward hygiene, but such compliance is more motivated by peers, disease outbreak and self-efficacy rather than effect of hygiene itself. Awareness through workshops could be helpful to increase likelihood of compliance of hand washing practices.
Keywords: Hand hygiene, normative beliefs, behavioral beliefs, control beliefs, COVID-19.