The Use of Disinfectants Among Women in Egypt and the Toxicity by Bleach During the Coronavirus Lock-down.

Disinfection Practices Among Women in Egypt During the Coronavirus Pandemic.

This study examines the use of disinfectants by Egyptian women during the coronavirus lockdown. Data will be collected via an online self-administered questionnaire that will be distributed to Egyptian women via social media channels. Questions in the questionnaire will assess types of disinfectants frequently used and how often they have been used for household disinfection during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. The investigators hypothesized that the frequent use of disinfectants in deep household cleaning during the lockdown has been associated with increased incidents of toxicity by bleach and similar products. At the same time, people were advised to stay home and refrain from seeking in-person medical care to avoid catching the coronavirus. Therefore, many people used social media to receive medical advice not necessarily from the right sources nor qualified experts.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Toxicity by Bleach
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: use and exposure to disinfectants during the coronavirus pandemic

Detailed Description

This study examines the use of disinfectants by Egyptian women during the coronavirus lockdown. Data will be collected via an online self-administered questionnaire that will be distributed to Egyptian women via social media channels such as (Facebook and WhatsApp).

Google Forms tool will be used to conduct the questionnaire as questions in the questionnaire will assess types of disinfectants frequently used and how often they have been used for household disinfection during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Questions will also assess the occurrence of adverse effects related to the increased use of disinfectants during the lockdown and how women reached out for medical care for their family members in cases of accidental toxicity.

The investigators hypothesized that the frequent use of disinfectants in deep household cleaning during the lockdown has been associated with increased incidents of toxicity by bleach and similar products. At the same time, people were advised to stay home and refrain from seeking in-person medical care to avoid catching the coronavirus. Therefore, many people used social media to receive medical advice not necessarily from the right sources nor qualified experts.

The questionnaire is designed by the primary investigator (Dr. Maha Farid) and was reviewed by other experts in the field of forensic medicine and clinical toxicology. The questions were developed in English and then translated in Arabic to be distributed to the target population in Arabic.

The inclusion criteria for women participating in this survey will include adult females living in Egypt during the time of lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic that started in Egypt in March 2020.

The questionnaire will be open for a month or till we reach the desired sample size, whichever comes first.

The data collected via this questionnaire will be then tabulated and analyzed using the proper statistical analysis methods.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 425

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Cairo, Egypt
    • Maha M Farid

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Women aging 18 years old and above located in Egypt during the coronavirus lockdown in March 2020.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult women living in Egypt the coronavirus lockdown started in March 2020

Exclusion Criteria

• Men living in Egypt
• Adult women not living in Egypt during the coronavirus lockdown started in March 2020.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Retrospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The use of disinfectants in deep house cleaning by women in Egypt.	Assessment of disinfection practice among women in Egypt	one month after the distribution of the questionnaire

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Helwan University
• Collaborators: University of Nebraska
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Maha M Farid, PhD, Helwan University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 4, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 30, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 26, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 26, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): May 28, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 23, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 19, 2020
• Last Verified: November 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: coronavirus; women; Egypt; adverse reactions; disinfectatnts
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Infections; Coronavirus Infections; Anti-Infective Agents; Disinfectants
• Other Study ID Numbers: COVID2020_HelwanU_01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Undecided
• IPD Plan Description: The plan to make (IPD) viable has not been decided to maintain the confidentiality and privacy of the information collected in this research project.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No