An observational study in Health Behavior, sponsored by University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw. Completed at 14 sites in 14 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2021-08-10.
Sponsored by University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw · Observational
This study aims at investigating handwashing behavior during COVID-19 pandemic. It was hypothesized that social-cognitive and emotional predictors as well as COVID-19 morbidity and mortality rates within the country would be associated with handwashing behavior in the general population of adults in 14 countries.
This observational study aims at testing the adherence to handwashing guidelines (the World Health Organization, WHO, 2020) at two measurement points, spanning 1 month. Adults from the general population in 14 countries (Poland, Australia, Canada, China, France, Gambia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Switzerland) will provide self-report data on handwashing behavior and its social-cognitive predictors (perceived effectiveness of handwashing, risk perception, outcome expectancy, self-efficacy, intention, planning, and action control), anxiety, as well as COVID-19 morbidity and mortality rates within the country.
Adults in 14 countries are recruited using the snowballing method. Data are collected using an online platform (software: Qualtricts).
Exclusion Criteria:
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Adults, general population, N = 400
Other: No intervention
Observational data collection only, accounting for COVID-19 morbidity and mortality levels within each country
Handwashing adherence
The 12-item self-report measure of adherence to handwashing guidelines across situations (e.g., after visiting public spaces, after touching garbage, etc.) based on the guidelines issued by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The responses are provided on a 4-point scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). Higher scores indicate better outcomes (the higher level of adherence to handwashing guidelines).
Time frame: 1 month
Frequency of handwashing
The 1-item self-report measure of the frequency of handwashing (for at least 20 seconds, all surfaces of the hands) daily. The responses are provided on a 4-point scale, ranging from 1 (less than once) to 5 (more than 10 times). Higher scores indicate better outcomes (the higher frequency of handwashing).
Time frame: 1 month
Self-efficacy
4 self-efficacy questionnaire items; mean item score ranging from 1 to 4, higher scores indicate stronger self-efficacy
Time frame: 1 month
Risk perception
3 questionnaire items to assess risk perception; mean item score ranging from 1 to 5, higher scores indicate higher risk perception
Time frame: 1 month
Outcome expectancy
4 items assessing positive (1 item) and negative (1 items) outcome expectancies; mean item scores ranging from 1 to 4, higher scores indicate more positive outcome expectancies
Time frame: 1 month
Intention
2 questionnaire items assessing intention to adhere to handwashing recommendations; mean item scores ranging from 1 to 4, higher scores indicate stronger intention to wash hands (for at least 20 seconds, all surfaces of the hands)
Time frame: 1 month
Planning
2 questionnaire items assessing action planning (1 item) and coping planning (1 item); mean item scores ranging from 1 to 4, higher scores indicate a higher level of self-reported planning
Time frame: 1 month
Action control
3 questionnaire items assessing a facet of action control, namely self-monitoring; mean item scores ranging from 1 to 4, higher scores indicate a higher level of self-reported monitoring of handwashing behavior
Time frame: 1 month
Perceived effectiveness of hand hygiene
1 questionnaire item assessing perceptions of handwashing as an effective means of preventing coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 infection; item scores ranging from 1 to 4, higher scores indicate a higher level of perceived effectiveness of hand hygiene
Time frame: 1 month
Anxiety
7-item self-report scale (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, GAD-7) scale to assess anxiety symptoms; mean item scores ranging from 1 to 4, higher scores indicate a higher level of generalized anxiety
Time frame: 1 month
Country-level COVID-19 morbidity and mortality rates
The daily cumulative numbers for COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in the study countries. Published daily as the Situation Report by World Health Organization, starting on 21 January 2020. Higher numbers indicate the higher cumulative COVID-19 morbidity and mortality rates in the country.
Time frame: 60 days
Plan to share: Undecided — The lead researchers in 14 countries will have full access to data collected across the countries. In line with the Consortium Agreement (v2, 16th Jul 2020) data will be openly available under following conditions: De-identified individual participant data that underline the results reported in publications; individual-level aggregated data (e.g., sum scores for scales) used for main analyses in respective publications; available following the publication, no end date of availability; available for analyses that are conducted to achieve aims in the approved proposal. Due to local regulations, there are exceptions in terms of data sharing rules (stated above): * AUSTRALIA: Data from Australia will be available for 5 years after collection. * GERMANY, SWITZERLAND: Instead of individual-level sum scores, variance-covariance matrices will be shared. * MALAYSIA: Data will not be shared.
This study is completed, as verified in Aug 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw