Determinants of hand-washing behavior during the infectious phase of COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Hand washing is one of the most effective measures to reduce the risk of transmitting infectious diseases. However, motivation for regular hand washing during the infectious phase of the SARS-CoV-2 infection remains unclear. We examined four possible reasons for practicing regular hand washing-two involved the perceived effectiveness of this practice in reducing the risk of infection, and the other two involved other motivations. The results of our nationwide survey revealed that people conformed to other people's practice of washing hands and felt relief from their anxiety when washing their hands. The perceived effectiveness of personal risk reduction, however, showed little effect on the behavior, while motivations such as conformity and relief from anxiety successfully explained a large proportion of hand-washing behavior. Our findings suggest that policymakers responsible for public health should consider social motivations when implementing public strategies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)