Journal Article

Knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh: An online-based cross-sectional study

Islam, Md. Saiful, Sikder, Md. Tajuddin, Ferdous, Most. Zannatul, Mosaddek, Abu Syed Md, Zegarra-Valdivia, J. A., Gozal, David

2020

Overview

In Bangladesh, an array of measures have been adopted to control the rapid spread of the COVID-19 epidemic. Such general population control measures could significantly influence perception, knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards COVID-19. Here, we assessed KAP towards COVID-19 immediately after the lock-down measures were implemented and during the rapid rise period of the outbreak. Online-based cross-sectional study conducted from March 29 to April 19, 2020, involving Bangladeshi residents aged 12-64 years, recruited via social media. After consenting, participants completed an online survey assessing socio-demographic variables, perception, and KAP towards COVID-19. Of the 2017 survey participants, 59.8% were male, the majority were students (71.2%), aged 21-30 years (57.9%), having a bachelor's degree (61.0%), having family income >30,000 BDT (50.0%), and living in urban areas (69.8). The survey revealed that 48.3% of participants had more accurate knowledge, 62.3% had more positive attitudes, and 55.1% had more frequent practices regarding COVID-19 prevention. Majority (96.7%) of the participants agreed 'COVID-19 is a dangerous disease', almost all (98.7%) participants wore a face mask in crowded places, 98.8% agreed to report a suspected case to health authorities, and 93.8% implemented washing hands with soap and water. In multiple logistic regression analyses, COVID-19 more accurate knowledge was associated with age and residence. Sociodemographic factors such as being older, higher education, employment, monthly family income >30,000 BDT, and having more frequent prevention practices were the more positive attitude factors. More frequent prevention practice factors were associated with female sex, older age, higher education, family income > 30,000 BDT, urban area residence, and having more positive attitudes. To improve KAP of general populations is crucial during the rapid rise period of a pandemic outbreak such as COVID-19. Therefore, development of effective health education programs that incorporate considerations of KAP-modifying factors is needed.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Attitudes / Bangladesh - epidemiology / Betacoronavirus - isolation & purification / Biology and Life Sciences / Child / Computer and Information Sciences / Control / Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology / Coronavirus Infections - pathology / Coronavirus Infections - virology / Coronaviruses / COVID-19 / Cross-Sectional Studies / Demographic variables / Digital media / Disease control / Earth Sciences / Education / Epidemics / Female / Health behavior / Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Health literacy / Humans / Income / Internet / Investigations / Male / Medicine and Health Sciences / Middle Aged / Outbreaks / Pandemics / People and Places / Perception / Physical Sciences / Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology / Pneumonia, Viral - pathology / Pneumonia, Viral - virology / Polls & surveys / Population control / Prevention / Protective equipment / Regression analysis / Research and Analysis Methods / Risk Factors / SARS-CoV-2 / Self Report / Social aspects / Social networks / Social Sciences / Surveys / Surveys and Questionnaires / Urban areas / Viral diseases / Young Adult