Who do not wash their hands during the Covid-19 pandemic? Social media use as a potential predictor

This study predicts handwashing behavior during the Covid-19 pandemic. An analysis of 674 adults in Malaysia identifies their time spent on social media per day as a key predictor of handwashing. The association between time spent on social media and handwashing substantially depends on gender and the number of children in the same household. Additional predictors include age and health condition. This study helps identify specific target groups for health communication on hand hygiene via people’s use of social media, which can be a key channel for health communication campaigns during a pandemic.