Attitudes towards COVID-19-Related Medical Misinformation among Healthcare Workers and Non-Healthcare Workers in Saudi Arabia during the Pandemic: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Alotiby AA
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8201028 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:BackgroundSome previous studies have investigated the attitudes of healthcare professionals towards certain aspects of the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, some general frameworks have been proposed to manage the pandemic.ObjectiveThe purpose of this article was to analyze the attitudes of healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia towards the treatment of patients with COVID-19, work planning of practitioners, leadership approaches to manage the pandemic, sharing information strategies, medical errors, compliance with procedures, and challenges faced by the practitioners. Furthermore, another objective was to propose a general framework for managing the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia.MethodsTo achieve these purposes, a survey was designed based on an online questionnaire that was initially sent via WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, and email to 336 healthcare practitioners working in 7 hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The response rate was 30.4%.ResultsThe outcomes indicated that healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia had positive attitudes towards effective communication and interaction between health professionals and patients, leadership and maintenance of team coordination, work planning, communication and cooperation between team members, training and skills development of healthcare professionals, implementing strict procedures to avoid errors and control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining an adequate supply of medicines and medical equipment, and obtaining the support of the government, the community, and the people.ConclusionBased on the findings, it was possible to suggest that the management of health care operations related to the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia requires effective collaboration and information sharing among various stakeholders. In this sense, communication, effective leadership, coordination and work planning, adequate treatment for patients, strict compliance with hospital rules and procedures, preventive and regulatory measures, and training and support for health professionals, were parameters considered in the general qualitative framework suggested in this study for managing the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. The propositions presented in this study can help the Saudi Arabian government implement an effective plan to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in this country.
| S-EPMC7722503 | biostudies-literature
Project description:As the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) continues to occur in small outbreaks in Saudi Arabia, we aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and intended practices of healthcare workers (HCWs) during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and compare worry levels with previous findings during the MERS-CoV outbreak in 2015. We sent an adapted version of our previously published MERS-CoV questionnaire to the same cohort of HCWs at a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. About 40% of our sample had previous experience with confirmed or suspected MERS-CoV patients, and those had a significantly higher knowledge score (13.16 ± 2.02 vs. 12.58 ± 2.27, P = 0.002) and higher adherence to protective hygienic practices (2.95 ± 0.80 vs. 2.74 ± 0.92, P = 0.003). The knowledge scores on COVID-19 were higher in the current cohort than the previous MERS-CoV outbreak cohort (68% vs. 79.7%, P < 0.001). HCWs from the current cohort who felt greater anxiety from COVID-19 compared to MERS-CoV were less likely to have been exposed to MERS-CoV infected/suspected cases (odds ratio (OR) = 0.646, P = 0.042) and were less likely to have attended the hospital awareness campaign on COVID-19 (OR = 0.654, P = 0.035). We concluded that previous experience with MERS-CoV was associated with increased knowledge and adherence to protective hygienic practices, and reduction of anxiety towards COVID-19.
| S-EPMC7492582 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Zika Virus (ZIKV) and its associated consequences remain vital public health challenge of international concerns. The current study was done to assess knowledge and attitudes towards ZIKV and the factors associated with good knowledge among medical students in King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 426 students. They were selected through multistage stratified random sample method, 2016. A validated, confidential, interviewing questionnaire contained 25 knowledge and 10 attitude items was used. Descriptive and inferential statistics were done. Results revealed that Facebook was the commonest source of ZIKV information. About half of the participants correctly identified mosquito bites and vertical route as ZIKV transmission modes. However, smaller percentages recognized the sexual and blood transmission modes. Calculations of knowledge score revealed that 77.5%, 15.0%, and 7.5% of the participants obtained poor, fair, and satisfactory scores, respectively. Age, educational year and attending ZIKV training were significantly associated with good knowledge (p<0.05). Concerning attitudes, about half of the participants agreed that ZIKV could add new burden on healthcare system of the affected countries. Most of participants were interested in learning more about ZIKV, emerging diseases and travel epidemiology. In conclusion, medical students had limited knowledge about ZIKV, and good attitudes towards learning about it. Conduction of ZIKV educational programs, and development of courses about emerging disease epidemiology are required.
| S-EPMC7102754 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background: Communication skills (CS) learning is a core skill in medical and dental education. The comparison of attitudes towards CS between dental and medical students based on the taught curriculum (problem-based learning vs. traditional teaching) in Saudi Arabia awaits investigation. Aims: (1) To assess the attitudes of both undergraduate dental and medical students towards communication skills (CS) learning and (2) to compare the attitudes towards CS between Medical and Dental students in relation to sociodemographic and education-related characteristics. Methods and Materials: A cross-sectional study, using an online survey, invited 260 conveniently sampled Taibah university medical and dental undergraduate students. The survey collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, education-related factors, and CS using Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) that assess positive and negative attitudes (PAS, NAS). Data analysis included descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Of the distributed questionnaire 91% responded (145 dental and 91 medical students). There were, overall, non-significant scores' differences between medical and dental students on PAS (Medicine Median 51 vs. Dentistry Median 50, p = 0.059) and NAS (Medicine Median 32 vs. Dentistry Median 32, p = 0.596). Older medical students, those at clinical levels and those who reported they need to improve their communication skills and student whose parents were not doctors, tended to score statistically significantly (p = 0.032, 0.017, 0.034, and 0.004, respectively) on PAS compared with dental students; on the other hand, medical students with doctor parents scored significantly high in NAS compared to dental students (p = 0.015). Conclusion: Demographic and education-related characteristics underpinned medical student positive attitude towards CS compared to dental students. Although medical and dental students showed no differences in self-rating their attitudes towards (CS). Different factors influence medical and dental students' attitudes towards CS learning.
| S-EPMC7795169 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Objectives:This study aimed to determine attitudes towards and perceptions of plagiarism among medical students in Saudi Arabia. Methods:This cross-sectional, multicentre study was conducted between April and May 2018 and involved medical students enrolled in three medical schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The previously validated Attitude Towards Plagiarism questionnaire was used to evaluate approval (i.e. a positive attitude) and disapproval of plagiarism (i.e. a negative attitude) among medical students. Furthermore, this study evaluated whether attending medical writing courses or courses in medical ethics influenced medical students' attitudes towards plagiarism. Results:A total of 551 students participated in the study (response rate = 73.5%). A significant association was found between mean negative and positive attitude scores and grade point average (GPA; P = 0.004 and 0.007, respectively). Students attending medical ethics courses had higher mean negative attitude scores compared to students who did not attend such courses (odds ratio = 2.369, 95% confidence interval: 1.540-3.645; P <0.001). Attending medical ethics courses was associated with a significantly more negative attitude towards plagiarism (P <0.001, each). Conclusion:The majority of medical students in Saudi Arabia included in this study indicated a highly negative attitude towards plagiarism. A higher GPA, the authoring of a published manuscript and attending courses in medical ethics were associated with negative attitudes towards plagiarism among medical students.
| S-EPMC7065706 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundHealth care workers (HCWs) involved in day-to-day care and other healthcare activities play a significant role in biomedical waste (BMW) management. The World Health Organization stated some of the causes for the failure of BMW management, namely, lack of awareness of the health hazards related to BMW and inadequate trained HCWs in BMW management. The present study assessed knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) towards BMW management among the HCWs in northern Saudi Arabia.MethodologyThe present study assessed KAP through a self-administered and validated questionnaire. Using a multistage probability sampling method, 384 HCWs from different healthcare facilities participated in this survey. We performed binomial logistic regression analysis to find association between KAP subscales and sociodemographic characteristics. Spearman's correlation test was performed to find the strength and direction of correlation (rho) between KAP scores.ResultsOf the population studied, high knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were found in 47.1%, 65.1%, and 49.5% of the HCWs, respectively. The present study found that knowledge score was significantly higher among the age group from 30 to 39 years (ref: age less than 30 years: AOR = 2.25, 95% CI [1.05-4.85], p = 0.04) and non- Saudi nationals (ref: Saudi: AOR = 2.84, 95% CI [1.63-4.94], p < 0.001) The attitude score towards BMW management was significantly lower among the HCWs working in tertiary care settings (ref: PHC: AOR = 0.38, 95% CI [0.12-0.69], p = 0.01). Regarding the practice score, the male categories had a significantly higher score (ref: female: AOR = 1.82, 95% CI [1.19 -2.99], p = 0.02), while pharmacist (ref: physicians: AOR = 0.39, 95% CI [0.18-0.58], p = 0.02) and lab technicians (ref: physicians: AOR = 0.31, 95% CI [0.11-0.53], p = 0.02) had a significant lower practice score. The test results revealed a weak positive correlation of knowledge with the attitude scores (rho = 0.249, p = 0.001), and a moderately strong positive correlation was found between attitude and practice scores (rho = 0.432, p = 0.001).ConclusionThis study suggests that a regular training program for the HCWs on BMW management is necessary through symposiums, role play, interactive lectures, and other feasible training methods. Furthermore, a multicentric prospective exploratory study is to be conducted in other regions of the KSA to understand the region-specific training needs of HCWs.
| S-EPMC9308458 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundHealthcare workers (HCWs) face considerable mental and physical stress caring for patients with Covid-19. They are at higher risk of acquiring and transmitting this virus. This study aims to assess perception and attitude of HCWs in Saudi Arabia with regard to Covid-19, and to identify potential associated predictors.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, HCWs at three tertiary hospitals in Saudi Arabia were surveyed via email with an anonymous link, by a concern scale about Covid-19 pandemic during 15-30 April, 2020. Concerns of disease severity, governmental efforts to contain it and disease outcomes were assessed using 32 concern statements in five distinct domains. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify predictors of high concern scores.ResultsA total of 844 HCW responded to the survey. Their average age was 40.4?±?9.5?years, 40.3% were nurses, 58.2% had direct patient contact, and 77.3% were living with others. The majority of participants (72.1%) had overall concern scores of 55 or less out of a maximum score of 96 points, with an overall mean score of 48.5?±?12.8 reflecting moderate level of concern. Three-fourth of respondents felt at risk of contracting Covid-19 infection at work, 69.1% felt threatened if a colleague contracted Covid-19, 69.9% felt obliged to care for patients infected with Covid-19 while 27.7% did not feel safe at work using the standard precautions available. Nearly all HCWs believed that the government should isolate patients with Covid-19 in specialized hospitals (92.9%), agreed with travel restriction to and/or from areas affected by Covid-19 (94.7%) and felt safe the government implemented curfew and movement restriction periods (93.6%). Predictors of high concern scores were; HCWs of Saudi nationality (p?<?0.001), younger age (p?=?0.003), undergraduate education (p?=?0.044), living with others (p?=?0.003) working in the western region (p?=?0.003) and direct contact with patients (p?=?0.018).ConclusionsThis study highlights the high concern among HCWs about Covid-19 and identifies the predictors of those with highest concern levels. To minimize the potential negative impact of those concerns on the performance of HCWs during pandemics, measures are necessary to enhance their protection and to minimize the psychological effect of the perceived risk of infection.
| S-EPMC7523489 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Airborne droplets and contaminated surfaces are the main routes for the epidemic virus outbreak that causes the novel coronavirus. To reduce virus spread, people wear face masks and gloves daily, which massively increases the amount of waste generated in the environment. Also, the inappropriate disposal of used masks and gloves in communities may boost the spread of the novel coronavirus. However, no studies have been conducted to evaluate a public perception regarding the management of generated masks and gloves during the global health threat. Therefore, this paper proposes a study of public awareness, attitudes, and practices towards gloves and masks generated during the novel coronavirus pandemic in Saudi Arabia. The study showed that most of the participants (74%) have adequate awareness regarding the proper way to dispose of used masks and gloves, with 76% showing positive attitudes toward waste management. Gender shows a significant correlation with the regulations of medical waste collection and disposal (r = 0.169, p = 0.0001), and the consideration of the effective disposal of COVID-19 waste management as a collective responsibility of the community (r = 0.158, p = 0.0001). Also, the study shows that the majority of participants were aware on the availability of regulations for the collection and disposal of biomedical waste. Moreover, it demonstrates that public awareness regarding the attitude and measures taken by regional municipalities to reduce the spread of coronavirus has a significant positive correlation (r = 0.279, p = 0.0001). The study further recognized that the effective management of contagious wastes significantly protects the public against the improper practices of wastes disposal generated during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
| S-EPMC8580859 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe public sector healthcare system in Saudi Arabia, essentially financed by oil revenues and 'free at the point of delivery', is coming under increasing strain due to escalating expenditure and an increasingly volatile oil market and is likely to be unsustainable in the medium to long term.ObjectivesThis study examines how satisfied the Saudi people are with their public sector healthcare services and assesses their willingness to contribute to financing the system through a national health insurance scheme. The study also examines public preferences and expectations of a future national health insurance system.MethodsA total of 36 heads of households participated in face-to-face audio-recorded semi-structured interviews. The participants were purposefully selected based on different socio-economic and socio-demographic factors from urban and rural areas to represent the geographical diversity that would presumably influence individual views, expectations, preferences and healthcare experiences.ResultsThe evidence showed some dissatisfaction with the provision and quality of current public sector healthcare services, including the availability of appointments, waiting times and the availability of drugs. The households indicated a willingness to contribute to a national insurance scheme, conditional upon improvements in the quality of public sector healthcare services. The results also revealed a variety of preferences and expectations regarding the proposed national health insurance scheme.ConclusionsQuality improvement is a key factor that could motivate the Saudi people to contribute to financing the healthcare system. A new authority, consisting of a partnership between the public and private sectors under government supervision, could represent an acceptable option for addressing the variation in public preferences.
| S-EPMC5797208 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Literature on smoking in Saudi Arabia is extensive. However, studies capturing the attitudes of both smokers and non-smokers towards smoking cessation are few. A PRISMA-P protocol guided systematic searches in MEDLINE and CINAHL on MeSH terms (smoking cessation AND Saudi Arabia). Peer reviewed articles in English were included in the narrative analysis. Screening reduced the 152 articles identified to 15 and independent critical appraisal identified 10 final articles for review. Few adopted validated survey tools or mentioned the best practice to be followed. There was considerable variation in the prevalence of smoking reported (13.7-49.2%) and survey response rates (8.9-100%). There was a paucity of quality evidence but it is clear that the smoking pandemic is still resonant in Saudi Arabia. Despite support for education programs to prevent the uptake of smoking, policy-driven action to reduce environmental second-hand smoking, and provision of support for smoking cessation, more needs to be done.
| S-EPMC7664210 | biostudies-literature