Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hand hygiene is essential as a preventive measure in reducing healthcare-associated infections and infectious diseases such as COVID-19. While many studies have been conducted in clinical and educational settings, there has been a lack of research targeting hand hygiene awareness and practices in the general community within the Arab world. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan where various and heavily populated cities pose unique public health concerns, establishing strong hand hygiene habits is critical for protecting the population's health. The purpose of this study is to assess, for the first time, the public levels of awareness and practices of hand hygiene in the in UAE and Jordan during the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The study was carried out between October 2022 and June 2023 via an online Google survey using a convenience sampling. Data from respondents in Jordan (n = 725) and the UAE (n = 520) were analyzed using SPSS (Version 28). ANOVA, Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to test if significant differences in awareness levels existed across different demographic groups in Jordan/UAE and between them. Pearson's chi-square test was applied to assess differences among the sample characteristics and participants' practice of hand hygiene. RESULTS: The evaluation of hand hygiene awareness between the two populations demonstrated a slightly higher levels of awareness in UAE as compared to Jordan (average-to-good awareness: 87.8% vs. 82.5%). Significant differences in terms of age group, were revealed in both countries (P < 0.05). Regarding education level, there was a significant difference among the participants in Jordan only (P < 0.05) as shown by the Kruskal-Wallis test. The majority of the study populations demonstrated high commitment to WHO hygiene recommendations, with 98.2% of participants in the UAE and 92.4% in Jordan reported handwashing using soap and water. Statistical analyses revealed some gender, age, educational level, and regional differences. CONCLUSIONS: In Jordan and the UAE, awareness and practices around hand hygiene among various demographic groups show room for improvement, with overall awareness levels ranging from average to good during the pandemic of COVID-19. Females, higher education level (Master's and Ph.D. degree holders), and age (50 + years old) were significant factors influencing awareness and hygiene practices. To further enhance hand hygiene awareness and practices, particularly among younger and less-educated individuals, awareness campaigns and health education programs are recommended. These findings can aid policymakers in designing effective, targeted strategies for promoting public health measures across diverse community sectors to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.