Download This PaperNo Cover-Up Here: A Descriptive Study of Observations of Coughing on Hands and the Lack of Proper Respiratory Hygiene Behaviors or Cough Etiquette. COVID-19 Update.
15 Pages Posted: 1 Apr 2020 Last revised: 2 Jan 2021
Date Written: December 31, 2020
Abstract
Four years of observing the respiratory hygiene behaviors or cough etiquette of people in public locations resulted in observing less than two percent properly covering their coughs and sneezes. 86% coughed into their hands, did not immediately clean them, and 11% did not cover their coughs or sneezes. To reduce the spread of respiratory infections there needs to be an increase in proper hygiene behaviors. This is the first study of directly observed respiratory hygiene behaviors while coughing and sneezing among the public in the United States. The study involved observations of 1000 c/s incidents by individuals in public locations, and was concluded at the end of June 2018. The result revealed the percentage of observed behaviors ranged from .3% to 86.2 %. This information is currently critical to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the impact of COVID-19 illness. An addendum of observations during the pandemic resulted in observing that 38% did not cover at all, not even into their masks.
Note: Funding: None.
Conflict of Interest: The author has no competing interests and no declarations.
Ethical Approval: This study had no participants that were involved in any research activities, those being observed in public had no risk, and there was no personal identifying information of any observant recorded in the study, thus it was deemed exempt from NIH ethics rules.
Keywords: cough etiquette, respiratory hygiene behavior, respiratory infection, health behavior, health promotion, COVID-19, sneeze
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