Factors influencing washing hands during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Ukraine population

Abstract Background Washing hands is recommended as one of the key preventive measures for reducing the transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious agents. The World Health Organization (WHO) consistently emphasized that handwashing is one of the most effective methods to prevent COVID-19. However, research on Ukraine handwashing has been limited. This study aims to investigate factors influencing the practice of regular handwashing in Ukraine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This study analyzed 800 households from the 2020 Ukraine Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (MSNA) survey data. The survey, conducted from January to February 2020, was administered by the REACH Initiative. The data was analyzed using Stata/MP version 16.1. Results As the number of household members increases, especially when the head of the household is female, the likelihood in adoption of washing hands more regularly increases significantly. People who take between 30 to 59 minutes to arrive at healthcare facility by walking, compared to those who take less than 15 minutes showed significantly decreased likelihood in washing hands more regularly. Conclusions While social distancing measures and travel restrictions have reduced contact possibilities with friends and colleagues, families represent the smallest social unit, making complete isolation within them difficult. Hence, the number of household members increases, there may be a higher tendency to wash hands more frequently due to the virus. Given that women exhibit higher levels of concern and fear regarding the pandemic, it is interpreted that they are more likely to wash their hands more frequently. Also households living more than 5km from the nearest health facility face higher barriers in accessing health care. They are more likely to wash their hands less due to low access to medical information. Key messages • The number of household members, the gender of the head of the household, and access to health facilities can affect COVID-19 prevention behaviors, such as hand washing. • Hand washing can prevent infectious diseases as well as various germs, so it is required to implement policies that can make them a habit.