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 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.