PropertyValue
?:abstract
  • BACKGROUND: The Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has created havoc globally as countries worldwide struggle to combat this pandemic. Since prevention and social isolation are known to be the only ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, this has created challenges among the lower-middle income countries (LMIC) including Pakistan, as it battles between an under-resourced healthcare, an economic shutdown, and widespread myths and misconceptions. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and perceptions regarding COVID-19 as public understanding is vital to help facilitate the control of this outbreak. METHODS: A pre-validated online questionnaire was distributed among the general population of Pakistan from 1st to 12th June 2020. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS v25. Adequate knowledge was assigned as a score of > 4 (range: 0–8) and good perception as a score of > 3 (range: 0–5). Chi-square test was used to determine the significance of difference in knowledge and perception of COVID-19 with socio-demographic characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was run to identify factors associated with adequate knowledge and perception. P < 0.05 was considered as significant. RESULTS: A total of 1200 respondents participated in this study with a wide range of age groups and education. Majority of the respondents had adequate knowledge (93.3%) with a mean score of 6.59 ± 1.35, and good perception (85.6%) with a mean score of 4.29 ± 0.82. Significant differences in knowledge and perception were observed among genders, age groups, education and between students and employees in the healthcare and non-healthcare department. A multivariate analysis revealed a higher educational status and female gender to be significant predictors of adequate knowledge and perception. CONCLUSIONS: Albeit the surge of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan, the participants demonstrated an overall adequate knowledge and good perception towards COVID-19. There is a need to follow the preventive protocols and dissemination of correct information through conducting educational interventions that target safe health practices and provide appropriate information on this infection. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-020-10083-y.
?:creator
?:doi
?:doi
  • 10.1186/s12889-020-10083-y
?:journal
  • BMC_Public_Health
?:license
  • cc-by
?:pdf_json_files
  • document_parses/pdf_json/ee2f9c415cc5f21672e7490c06b7fa01129ceefb.json
?:pmc_json_files
  • document_parses/pmc_json/PMC7783502.xml.json
?:pmcid
?:pmid
?:pmid
  • 33402145.0
?:publication_isRelatedTo_Disease
?:sha_id
?:source
  • Medline; PMC
?:title
  • Knowledge, attitude and perception of Pakistanis towards COVID-19; a large cross-sectional survey
?:type
?:year
  • 2021-01-05

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