| Summary: | Background
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has become a pandemic crisis. Good Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) can prevent the spread of the virus. The present study aimed to identify the current status of KAP associated with COVID-19 characteristics, prevention, control and treatment options within the study population.
Methods
A cross-sectional community-based online survey was conducted with 500 participants. A link was sent to members of the public of Jaipur district, Rajasthan India. Data were analyzed by the student ‘t’ test and F- Statistics. Bivariate and multiple linear regression were applied to find any association between different variables. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant.
Results
Respondent knowledge and attitude was rated ‘Good’ overall (99%) regarding COVID-19 preventative measures, with practice scoring slightly less (89%). A significant positive relationship was observed between knowledge and attitude (r=0.177, p=0.01), but a positive attitude does not automatically result in good practice (r=-0.105, p=0.05). Knowledge was better amongst urban, more highly educated respondents and amongst those working in the medical community. The study identified some common misunderstandings over how the virus spreads, including that it can be transmitted through dairy products and meat consumption, and through the faecal-oral route.
Conclusion
Rural residents, who tend to be less educated than urban residents, and the less educated urban residents were less aware of COVID-19 characteristics, treatment options and mechanisms of disease spread. This highlights a need for continuing public health education, particularly amongst rural and less educated urban populations.
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