Gender Differences in Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices toward COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Impact of educational interventions on hepatitis B and C awareness among school students of Delhi NCR, India

BACKGROUND

Viral hepatitis, particularly B and C, is a major cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer, leading to about 1.4 million deaths annually. Alarmingly, less than 20% of those with hepatitis are aware of their status, with only 6.3% receiving treatment. School children can play a pivotal role in raising awareness and preventing the spread of infections. This intervention study focuses on understanding and enhancing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to Hepatitis B and C, among school children in Delhi NCR to foster dialogue and awareness.

METHODS

An intervention study was conducted in selected schools across Delhi NCR between September and October 2022 to assess baseline knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to Hepatitis B and C. Three of seven schools were randomly selected by probability sampling, representing 9-12 grade students, and 901 students participated. Following this, an educational interventional program was conducted using educational material, interactive sessions, and audiovisual aids. Post-intervention assessments were done to measure the impact on knowledge improvement.

RESULTS

The study is expected to provide insights into the current level of awareness regarding Hepatitis B and C. Furthermore, the intervention's effectiveness was analysed using the pre-formed questionnaire. The average pre-test knowledge score was 8.9 ± 3.2, while the post-test average was 15.6 ± 4.4, indicating a substantial increase of 6.7 ± 4.7 points (+ 75.2%). There was a positive correlation of 0.240 between pre and post-test scores. Attitude change before and after the session showed a positive percentage change of + 38.0% with a correlation of 0.351. The study indicated substantial improvements in knowledge about hepatitis B and C, notably regarding awareness about transmission methods and risk factors.

CONCLUSION

This interventional study seeks to bridge the knowledge gap among school children regarding Hepatitis B and C in Delhi NCR, fostering a proactive approach towards prevention, detection, and treatment. The considerable rise in awareness and favourable changes in perspectives post-intervention say that specific health education initiatives are pivotal in raising awareness and comprehension of infectious diseases, ultimately contributing to improving community health.

Fear of COVID-19 among professional caregivers of the elderly in Central Alentejo, Portugal

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected many institutionalised elderly people. In Portugal, the level of pandemic fear among professional caregivers of the elderly is unknown, as are its predictive factors. This study aimed to investigate predictors of fear of COVID-19 among workers caring for institutionalised elderly people in nursing homes. This is a cross-sectional study using multiple linear regression applied to a population of 652 caregivers located in 14 municipalities in Central Alentejo, Portugal, at March 2021. The criterion variable was the fear of COVID-19. Standardised regression coefficients showed that the higher the level of education, the lower the level of fear (β = - 0.158; t = - 4.134; p < .001). Other predictors of the level of fear were gender, with women having higher levels (β = 0.123; t = t = 3.203; p < 0.001), higher scores on COVID-19-like suspicious symptoms (β = 0.123; t = 3.219; p < 0.001) and having received a flu vaccine (β = 0.086; t = 2.252; p = 0.025). The model explains 6.7% of the variation in fear of COVID-19 (R2Adj = 0.067). Health literacy can minimise the impact on the physical and mental health of these workers. In Central Alentejo, caregivers of the elderly play a fundamental role in social balance. Further studies are needed to better understand the factors that can improve their personal and professional well-being.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Saudi Medical, Nursing, and Pharmacy Students and Interns Regarding Antidepressant Drugs and Drug-Induced Serotonin Syndrome

Background and aim Antidepressant drugs are commonly used to treat depressive disorders and anxiety. However, they can cause side effects, including drug-induced serotonin syndrome, which is a potentially life-threatening condition. It is essential to understand the level of knowledge of healthcare professionals who are likely to prescribe and administer these medications. This article aims to assess the knowledge of Saudi medical, nursing, and pharmacy students and interns regarding antidepressant drugs and drug-induced serotonin syndrome. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among medical, nursing, and pharmacy students and interns in Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from participants. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: demographic information, knowledge about antidepressants, and knowledge about serotonin syndrome. Results A total of 425 participants were included in the study. The median knowledge score for antidepressants and serotonin syndrome was moderate to good, with median scores of 18 out of 23 (IQR: 16-20) and eight out of 12 (IQR: 6-10), respectively. However, more than half of the participants had sufficient knowledge about these topics, with only 227 (53.4%) and 264 (62.1%) having sufficient knowledge about antidepressants and serotonin syndrome, respectively. Regarding serotonin syndrome, males had a significantly higher proportion of sufficient knowledge compared to females, 86 (70.5%) out of 122 vs. 178 (58.7%) out of 303 (p=0.024), respectively. Medical students/interns had a significantly higher proportion of sufficient knowledge about antidepressants compared to nursing students/interns. According to the academic year, interns had the highest proportion of sufficient knowledge. Conclusion The current study revealed that Saudi medical, nursing, and pharmacy students and interns had moderate to good levels of knowledge about antidepressants and serotonin syndrome. The participating students had slightly better knowledge about serotonin syndrome in comparison to knowledge about antidepressants. Further research is needed to identify the causes of the knowledge gap and develop targeted interventions to address these causes. Educational efforts to ensure the safe and effective use of antidepressants are needed.

Barriers and Motivators toward Childhood COVID-19 Vaccination: A Cross-Sectional Study Conducted among Saudi Population

Background and Objectives: In 2020, one of the most important steps that were made was to give priority to the development of a COVID-19 vaccine to prevent the rising incidence of COVID-19 from continuing to rise. However, globally, there is a variable acceptance of the level of the COVID-19 vaccine. This study aims to explore Saudi parents' willingness to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study; the online questionnaire was used to investigate the views of Saudi parents with children aged under 18 toward the immunization of their children against COVID-19. The data were gathered from 10 May 2022 to 31 October 2022. The data analysis uses SPSS version 20. A p-value of 0.05 or lower was regarded as statistically significant. Results: A total of 978 Saudi parents participated in this study. Most of the respondents were from the age group of 36-45 years with the educational qualification of high school and bachelor's degree. Overall, it was observed that the majority, 98.2% of the respondents, disclosed that they needed more information (p = 0.004) about COVID-19 vaccine safety among children so that they could decide whether to vaccinate their child. About 91.4% of parents mention that vaccination against COVID-19 is not necessary for children (p = 0.001). About 68.3% of respondents agreed that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 could help Saudi Arabia control COVID-19 (p = 0.007, RI = 0.76). In terms of negative attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination, 71.3% think that there will be severe side effects (p = 0.019, RI = 0.75); 67.7% think that the vaccine's protection will only last for a short time (p = 0.055, RI = 0.72); 80.1% said they were afraid of getting vaccinated because of needle fear (p = 0.045, RI = 0.76), and 41.2% said lack of time was the main barrier to not vaccinating their child. Conclusions: Parents expressed concerns regarding the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, which might be some of the main factors influencing their decision to vaccinate their children. It is the need of the hour to take action to communicate, educate, and intervene with Saudi parents to enhance COVID-19 vaccination compliance rates across the board.

Public knowledge, attitudes, and practices during the first wave of COVID-19 in Indonesia

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic became a global emergency, and it is vital to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of populations regarding this disease to prevent its spread.

Objective

The study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the Indonesian public toward COVID-19.

Methods

An observational study was conducted in Indonesia between November 2020 and January 2021. The study employed a validated questionnaire with 391 respondents to the survey. A comparative analysis was performed to assess the mean differences in respondents' characteristics in terms of their knowledge, attitude, and practice scores. Furthermore, regression analysis was used to investigate those factors associated with the good practice of health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

The findings showed significant differences in the average knowledge scores across gender, geographical location, and educational attainment. Furthermore, significant differences in practices were identified in terms of gender and educational attainment. The findings of the study indicate that the participants demonstrated a significant awareness of COVID-19, as evidenced by their high mean knowledge score of 17.83 ± 1.74 out of a possible total score of 22 points. The results indicate that the respondents exhibited a positive attitude toward COVID-19 prevention measures, as evidenced by an attitude score of 26.95 ± 3.14 out of a possible total score of 30 points. Additionally, the mean score for good practice in health protocols aimed at reducing COVID-19 infection was found to be high (4.23 ± 0.96) at 5 points. This suggests that the study participants had already adopted effective measures to comply with the recommended health guidelines. The results of the regression analysis indicated that gender, level of education, and knowledge were statistically significant predictors for adherence to health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The aforementioned results offer significant perspectives into the populace's comprehension, disposition, and conduct regarding COVID-19 in Indonesia. These insights could potentially contribute to the formulation of efficacious measures aimed at curtailing transmission of the virus.

Public Anxiety, Attitudes, and Practices towards COVID-19 Infection in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, still has a terrifying potential due to its continuous genetic variation. Although vaccines have been created, adherence to preventive measures remains a privileged choice to tackle the pandemic. This study aims to investigate the anxiety, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) towards COVID-19 infection in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from 400 participants via an online self-structured questionnaire. Anxiety, attitude, and practice scores were calculated by summing the points of the statements under the corresponding domain multiplied by 100 over 12, 21, or 15, respectively. Chi-square and one-way analysis of variance were used to investigate the relationships between vaccination, anxiety, attitude, practice scores, and demographic characteristics. More than half of the participants were female (58.5%; mean age of 29.5 years; the majority in the age groups of <20 years and 21-30 years). Only 21.5% of the participants were suffering from or previously had chronic diseases. Notably, 22.3% of the male participants were vaccinated (p = 0.000). The old age groups (41-50 years and >50 years) were more vaccinated (16.3% and 24.1%, respectively, p = 0.000), as well as the unemployed (36.4%; p = 0.000). The mean scores of anxiety, attitude, and practice were 66.8, 72.3, and 85.2, respectively. Females had an anxiety score of 68.5% (p = 0.008) and a higher attitude score of 68.5% (p = 0.008). Infected male participants had a lower practice score of 80% (p = 0.038), while females recorded higher practice scores (85.7 ± 11.6). The results highlight the importance of reliable communication from health representatives and legislators in educating the public and promoting their knowledge about non-therapeutic interventions. Efficient intervention approaches are required to fill the gap during the implementation of non-therapeutic measures. Also, it is recommended that awareness programs, during COVID-19 or any other similar pandemics, should be tailored to target Eastern Province inhabitants, especially males.