Authors : Aman Tiwari, Mohini Sharma, Shitij Goel
DOI : 10.18231/j.ijced.2023.017
Volume : 9
Issue : 2
Year : 2023
Page No : 98-102
Background: The COVID-19 Pandemic has brought about a transition in hand hygiene practices since the disease has no cure. WHO recommends frequent hand washing for at least 20 seconds each time or the use of alcohol-based hand rubs to prevent infection. This change has led to a variety of skin changes over hands including dryness, redness, irritation, etc. Dermatitis is a medical term for skin inflammation (irritation). Contact dermatitis is an allergic or irritant reaction that causes a painful or itchy skin rash. Frequent use of hand hygiene products, particularly soaps, and other detergents, is one of the leading causes of irritant contact dermatitis among health workers in this Covid pandemic era.
Materials and Methods: To know the impact of change in hand hygiene practices after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, an online survey was conducted using google forms. Participants included only medical students and professionals aged 18 and above till 35 years. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Information was recorded and analyzed.
Results: The study included a total of 151 participants including medical students and professionals out of which 71 (47%) were male, 79(53%), and female, all aged between 18-35 years. 136 (90.1%) of the total participants agreed with an increase in hand hygiene practices brought about by the pandemic, using various means for the same including soap, alcohol-based gels, rubs, and wipes. 51 participants (33.8 %) noticed explicit changes in the skin of their hands after the switch in their respective hand hygiene practices.
Conclusions: This study highlights the changes in hand hygiene practices due to the pandemic and the prevalence of dermatitis due to the same in medical students and professionals. The study will highlight the awareness about the prevention of skin changes in hand due to frequent sanitation and the need to seek a dermatologist if and when required
Keywords: COVID-19, Hand hygiene practices, Dermatitis