Hand hygiene during the COVID‐19 pandemic among people experiencing homelessness—Atlanta, Georgia, 2020

People experiencing homelessness are at risk for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and may experience barriers to hand hygiene, a primary recommendation for COVID‐19 prevention. We conducted in‐depth interviews with 51 people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in Atlanta, Georgia...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Community Psychology 2021-09, Vol.49 (7), p.2441-2453
Main Authors: Montgomery, Martha P., Carry, Monique G., Garcia‐Williams, Amanda G., Marshall, Brittany, Besrat, Bethlehem, Bejarano, Franco, Carlson, Joshua, Rutledge, Ty, Mosites, Emily
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access
Communication
COVID-19
Employment
handwashing
Homeless people
homeless persons
Housing
Hygiene
sanitation
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Summary:People experiencing homelessness are at risk for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and may experience barriers to hand hygiene, a primary recommendation for COVID‐19 prevention. We conducted in‐depth interviews with 51 people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in Atlanta, Georgia during May 2020 to August 2020 to (1) describe challenges and opportunities related to hand hygiene and (2) assess hand hygiene communication preferences. The primary hand hygiene barrier reported was limited access to facilities and supplies, which has disproportionately impacted people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. This lack of access has reportedly been exacerbated during COVID‐19 by the closure of public facilities and businesses. Increased access to housing and employment were identified as long‐term solutions to improving hand hygiene. Overall, participants expressed a preference for access to facilities and supplies over hand hygiene communication materials.
ISSN:0090-4392
1520-6629
DOI:10.1002/jcop.22583