Comparing Pharmacists’ Triggers for Hand Hygiene in a Community Pharmacy Pre and Post COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Specific Aims: The aim of this study was to compare the performance of hand hygiene by pharmacists in the community pharmacy setting before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Questionnaires were administered to Arizona community pharmacists in 2018 (pre- COVID-19; data previously collected) and in 2023 (during COVID-19) through the Arizona Pharmacy Association email list. The data collected pertained to the frequency of hand hygiene practices based on a variety of scenarios and responses were compared between the 2018 and 2023 surveys. Data was analyzed using STATA. Results: For the 2023 survey, 74 pharmacists working in a community setting completed the survey, as compared to the 151 who participated in the 2018 population. The two populations were compared to each other with a priori p-value of <0.05. Scenarios that showed improvement in hand hygiene practices in between 2018 vs. 2023 included: “before consulting a patient with a red eye” (19% vs. 27%, p = 0.04), “after consulting a patient with a red eye” (68% vs. 83%, p = 0.033), “before a blood pressure check” (31% vs. 55%, p = 0.029), “after a blood pressure check” (40% vs. 66%, p = 0.02) and “before putting on gloves to give an immunization” (52% vs. 75%, p = 0.01). Other situations asked such as “after giving an immunization” and “after handling cash” did not show significant difference. Conclusions: In many of the survey questions involving direct patient contact such as blood pressure checks, immunizations and dealing with visibly sick patients, a significant change was seen from the before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, none of direct patient contact scenario responses including before and after administration of immunizations were 100% in either study subject group. This should serve as a reminder that hand hygiene is not only to be used during flu seasons and periods of high transmissions, but as an everyday safe practice to protect other patients and staff members.