TY - JOUR
T1 - Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions Towards Hand Hygiene of Optometry Students Pre-and Peri-COVID-19 at a Tertiary Institution in Johannesburg, South Africa
AU - Richter, Susarah Maria
AU - Barnard, Tobias George
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Richter and Barnard.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Purpose: Limited research has been completed relating to the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards hand hygiene in optometry. The necessity of identifying possible gaps in the cycle of the optometric examination that may have an impact on standard hygiene practices is essential, especially seen in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study was to determine if optometry students’ KAP towards hand hygiene changed pre-and peri-COVID-19 to minimize the risk of possible infection it may have for their patients, family, and themselves. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional purposeful sample study was completed among optometry students at a training institution in Johannesburg, South Africa, pre-(2019) and peri-COVID-19 (2022). The WHO hand hygiene knowledge and perception questionnaires for health care workers were adapted and used in the current study. Statistical analyses were performed to test for significant changes between the two groups. Results: There was a significant change (p < 0.01) in the use of alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) in 2022 (87.2%) compared to 2019 (46.5%), although only 41% of students peri-COVID-19 (2022), were aware that a minimum of 20 seconds is required to effectively clean hands. Students, both pre-COVID-19 (63.8%) and peri-COVID-19 (81.8%) perceived performing a hand hygiene regime during an optometric examination to be problematic. A significant peri-COVID-19 (2022) change in perception (p < 0.01) regarding the importance of completing required hand hygiene practices in front of a patient during examination was seen. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to research a possible change in KAP towards hand hygiene practices in optometry students that have not been investigated before. Students were more aware of the impact of hand hygiene practices and the perception thereof, especially by patients and fellow students during the peri-COVID-19 (2022) period. An important finding was the difficulty that students experienced to perform a hand hygiene regime during an optometric examination.
AB - Purpose: Limited research has been completed relating to the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards hand hygiene in optometry. The necessity of identifying possible gaps in the cycle of the optometric examination that may have an impact on standard hygiene practices is essential, especially seen in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study was to determine if optometry students’ KAP towards hand hygiene changed pre-and peri-COVID-19 to minimize the risk of possible infection it may have for their patients, family, and themselves. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional purposeful sample study was completed among optometry students at a training institution in Johannesburg, South Africa, pre-(2019) and peri-COVID-19 (2022). The WHO hand hygiene knowledge and perception questionnaires for health care workers were adapted and used in the current study. Statistical analyses were performed to test for significant changes between the two groups. Results: There was a significant change (p < 0.01) in the use of alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) in 2022 (87.2%) compared to 2019 (46.5%), although only 41% of students peri-COVID-19 (2022), were aware that a minimum of 20 seconds is required to effectively clean hands. Students, both pre-COVID-19 (63.8%) and peri-COVID-19 (81.8%) perceived performing a hand hygiene regime during an optometric examination to be problematic. A significant peri-COVID-19 (2022) change in perception (p < 0.01) regarding the importance of completing required hand hygiene practices in front of a patient during examination was seen. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to research a possible change in KAP towards hand hygiene practices in optometry students that have not been investigated before. Students were more aware of the impact of hand hygiene practices and the perception thereof, especially by patients and fellow students during the peri-COVID-19 (2022) period. An important finding was the difficulty that students experienced to perform a hand hygiene regime during an optometric examination.
KW - alcohol-based hand rub
KW - COVID-19
KW - optometric examination
KW - surface contamination
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85140729022&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2147/OPTO.S379659
DO - 10.2147/OPTO.S379659
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85140729022
SN - 1179-2752
VL - 14
SP - 195
EP - 205
JO - Clinical Optometry
JF - Clinical Optometry
ER -