Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Medicine Student towards Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19)

Research Article

Ann Transl Med Epidemiol. 2021; 7(1): 1017.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Medicine Student towards Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19)

Waggas D¹ and Hasan AA²*

¹Assistant Professor in Pharmacology, MBBS Program, Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

²Assistant Professors in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

*Corresponding author: Abd Alhadi Hasan, Assistant Professors in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Received: June 04, 2021; Accepted: June 25, 2021; Published: July 02, 2021

Abstract

Background: The emerging respiratory disease is caused by the novel type of corona virus which is named as COVID-19. This respiratory illness has received internal attention and it is categorized as highly threaten disease in the US by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The purpose of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of undergraduate medical students towards COVID-19.

Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional design was used to assess knowledge, practice and attitudes of 255 undergraduate medical students towards COVID-19. Study participants were recruited from the Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences between April and August 2020.

Results: The results of study participants showed that undergraduate medical students had moderate knowledge towards COVID-19 (Mean=20.54, SD ± 4.67). Also, participants had high level of knowledge regarding nature of diseases and precautionary measures by health care providers dimensions. However, they expressed limited knowledge towards mode of transmission. Moreover, study participants demonstrated an optimistic attitude toward disease as the average 43.78 and good practice towards COVID-19 (average 18.67).

Conclusions: The study results revealed that study participants demonstrated good knowledge with favorable and accepted practice. This study suggests the importance of emphasis on infectious disease in medical curriculum.

Keywords: Student; Knowledge; Attitudes and practices; COVID -19; Pandemic

Introduction

The emerging respiratory disease is caused by the novel type of corona virus which is named as COVID-19. This respiratory illness has received internal attention and it is categorized as highly threaten disease in the US by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [1]. The first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in Wuhan city, China in late December 2019. The world health organization announced the disease as pandemic in February 2020. Around 62 countries reported 85176 confirmed cases with more than of 3000 death cases [2]. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the first case was conformed in March 2020.

The exact method of transmission of novel virus of corona is not clear yet. However, it has been hypothesis it spreads through direct contact, air droplet or animal transmission. Also, the virus has 14 days of incubation before the clinical symptoms of illness becomes apparent [3,4]. The symptoms are fever, cough, myalgia, shortness of breath, dyspnea, hypoxemia and respiratory distress [5]. Adults and children are reported to experience less severity of symptoms compared to people with immunocompromised [6]. One of treatment modality of affected individual is quarantine and isolation in order to protect surrounded people. Especially, there is no drug is effective against virus and the treatment is supportive. There is no antiviral drug or vaccine is approved and great effort from several pharmaceutical companies to discover such vaccine.

Universities are likely to become explosive, infected, and epidemic places due to their large young students, high levels of close social contact and permeable restrictions [7]. It is very important to know the knowledge and attitudes of university students on COVID-19 virus [8]. Because this can give an idea about what information they have and their attitude towards this crisis [9]. Whereas, attitude defined by Abdelrahman [10] as something that “represents the positive or negative readiness towards certain things; a person, place, an event. Following to the WHO declaration about global pandemic, the government of Saudi Arabia has monitored the country health condition closely, particularly after the first national case diagnosis confirmation on 2 March 2020. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia implemented preventive measures to control the spread of COVID-19. These measures included national curfew to restrict people movement most of day hours and lockdown of schools, universities, national and international flights as well as suspend visits for umrah, and visiting the Prophet’s Mosque. The assessing KAP plays an integral role in identifying behavioural changes acceptance, identify the required type of interventions to achieve the change. In addition, novelty of Corona virus, along with its uncertainties, make it critical for assessing medical students’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice (KAP) towards COVID-19. The purpose of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of undergraduate medical students towards COVID-19.

Methods

Design and setting

The study employed descriptive cross-sectional survey. All undergraduate medical students, as well as the medical interns, who are enrolled in Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences in Jeddah. Students who satisfied the inclusion criteria were included in the study, as follows:

• The participants must be enrolled in the undergraduate medical or medicine program in Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences.

Sample size and sampling technique

Based on Cohen [11], sample power calculation, the minimum required sample size for observational study, with the desired probability level of (0.05), and small effect size of (0.05), and the statistical power level of (0.8), the required sample size is 255.

Data collection procedure

The study was used several strategies to enhance the response rate of medical students. The survey was administered online by Survey monkey, google form, Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. The research team sent several reminders to encourage all students completing the survey. The data collection was undertaken place between April and July 2020.

Outcome measures

The outcome measures of the study included two parts, the first part was related to sociodemographic data of the study participants such as age, gender, education level, and marital status. The Second part of the scale was COVID-19 knowledge questionnaire was developed by Hassan [12]. It has five dimensions, including 7 questions about the nature of disease. 5 questions concerned of mode of transmission, 13 questions related to action taken to handle suspected or confirmed cases and 4 questions rated to precautionary measures by health care providers and 4 question related to treatment of the disease. Each question is answered as a true/false basis with an additional “I don’t know” option. The potential knowledge score ranged from zero to 33, the highest scores indicated better knowledge towards COVID-19. The internal consistency of knowledge items was 0.83. Attitudes towards COVID-19 were measured by 11 questions rated on 5 Likert scale strongly agree to strongly disagree. Scores ranged from 11 to 55, with high scores indicating positive attitudes. The Cronbach alpha od attitude subscale was 0.81. Also, the participants practice towards COVID-19 were assessed by five questions rated on 5 Likert scale strongly agree to strongly disagree. Overall score ranged from 5 to 25, with high scores indicating better practices. The internal consistency of practice items was 0.83.

Data analysis

Data were analyzed using the Statistical Program (SPSS) version 24. The research student coded data appropriately and enter in software. Data satisfied statistical assumptions such as normality, linearity and homogeneity of variance. Descriptive statistics was used to report frequency and percentage as well as mean alongside standard deviation. Moreover, inferential tests such as independent sample t test and one-way analysis of variance were used to compare the differences in study outcomes in relation to sociodemographic data. Pearson correlation test was used to examine the relationship between study outcomes and study participants characteristics. P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Ethical consideration

The study sought ethical approval from Scientific Research Committee at Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences (Ref: 1F-25). In addition, the data were collected online. Therefore, authors added one paragraph explaining the study purpose and participants commitment. Authors emphasized their participation is voluntary questionnaire was anonymous, and participants were assured of the confidentiality of their responses.

Results

A total of 255 undergraduate medical students completed the survey questionnaire. Of these, one-third of study participants aged between 18-21 years old and 100% of study participants were females, 33.72 of students were in the second year in college compared to 21.56% were in the fourth year. Moreover, almost two thirds of study participants resided with family in the same home in rural area (70%), as socio-demographic characteristics are shown in Table 1.