Factors Influencing Hand Sanitizer Use in US Adults: A Formative Assessment

Objectives: Proper hand hygiene (HH) practices can reduce the spread of infectious diseases. However, limited data exist on how often people use alcohol-based hand sanitizer (ABHS) and what influences their decisions to use ABHS. A formative assessment was conducted to understand motivators and barriers to using ABHS and knowledge gaps preventing proper use. Methods: Thirty in-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of U.S. adults from March-June 2021. Data were analyzed using thematic coding in MAXQDA; discrepancies were discussed until 100% agreement was reached. Results: Respondents felt confident using ABHS given their prior experience using it, its ease of use, and its ability to kill germs. Motivators for using ABHS included protection/safety from germs, feeling clean, and positive social norms related to HH. Lack of education and knowledge regarding proper HH were barriers that could result in ineffective use of ABHS. Conclusions: To promote proper hand sanitizing, future interventions can address the lack of education and knowledge regarding proper HH by promoting accessible ABHS stations, signs/posters with relevant messaging, and positive social norms. Suggested communication channels included social media, advertisements, press releases, and information on the ABHS bottle label.