A Cross-Sectional Study to Assess Knowledge of COVID-19 among Undergraduate Students in North-Central Ecuador.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Ortega-Paredes D
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8391163 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Knowledge of genetics is crucial for understanding genetic and genomic tests and for interpreting personal genomic information. Despite this relevance, no data are available about the level of knowledge of genetics in an Ecuadorian population. This investigation sought to survey such knowledge in undergraduate students affiliated with private and public institutions in Quito, the capital city of Ecuador. A total of 350 individuals responded to a validated questionnaire measuring knowledge of genetics. Scores ranged from 45% to 87% (mean: 66.8%), and students achieved slightly better results when asked about genetics and diseases (mean score: 68.3%) than when asked about genetic facts (mean score: 64.9%). Additionally, no significant differences in performance were found among students from private and public institutions. Surprisingly, the lower score obtained (45%) was from a question about how chromosomes are passed to the next generation. The highly educated status of the surveyed population could explain the overall results; nonetheless, the possibility that the correct responses were given by chance cannot be ignored. Therefore, the actual knowledge of genetics among the participants might be different than that revealed by the percentages of correct answers. Consequently, to achieve the goal of ensuring informed decision-making concerning genetic and genomic tests, it seems evident that the national education programs of Ecuador require improvement in the teaching of genetic concepts.
| S-EPMC6719661 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has become a great threat to public health, which has greatly impacted the study and life of undergraduate students in China. This study aims to perform a survey of their knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) associated with COVID-19.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was designed to gather information regarding the COVID-19 related KAP among undergraduates during the home isolation in the outbreak. Subjects were recruited from 10 universities in Shaanxi Province, China. Enrollees voluntarily submitted their answers to a pre-designed questionnaire online.ResultsA total of 872 subjects (female, 534; male, 338) were enrolled with ages from 17 to 25 years old. This cohort included 430 medical and 442 non-medical students, 580 freshmen and 292 higher school year students. There were 453 from public schools and 442 from private school, residing in 28 regions and provinces at the time of study. Results showed that appropriate knowledge was acquired by 82.34% subjects; the levels were significantly higher in undergraduates from public universities and medical majors than those from private schools and non-medical majors (p<0.05). 73.81% subjects reported positive attitudes; females showed significantly higher levels of positive attitudes than males (p<0.05). Proactive practice was found in 87.94% subjects. Using a common scoring method, the overall scores for Knowledge, Attitude and Practice were 4.12 ± 0.749 (range: 0 ~ 5), 8.54 ± 1.201 (range: 0 ~ 10), and 8.91 ± 1.431 (range: 0 ~ 10), respectively. There was a positive correlation between attitude and practice (r = 0.319, p < 0.05) in the whole study group. Total KAP score was 21.57 ± 2.291 (range: 0 ~ 25), which was significantly different between gender groups and major groups.ConclusionsMost undergraduates acquired necessary knowledge, positive attitude and proactive practice in response to COVID-19 outbreak; but their KAP scores significantly varied by gender, major and school types.
| S-EPMC7447607 | biostudies-literature
Project description:At the end of 2020, the Italian Ministry of Health launched a national vaccination campaign to counteract the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aimed at appraising levels of knowledge about and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination in a sample of Italian undergraduates during the first phase of the immunization plan. A web-based questionnaire was administered to students attending universities in Bari, Naples, and Rome during the period February-April 2021. Of the total of 3226 participants, 91.9% were keen to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. More than 80% gave correct answers to questions about COVID-19 vaccine administration, functioning, and effects on community health. However, only 63.8% identified the correct composition of the available vaccines. Knowledge was found to be related to sociodemographic features and COVID-19 vaccination acceptance (p < 0.05). COVID-19 vaccination acceptance was found to be related to having a previous vaccination against influenza (OR 3.806, CI 95% 1.181-12.267; p = 0.025) and knowledge (OR 4.759, CI 95% 2.106-10.753; p = 0.000). These results show a good level of awareness about COVID-19 vaccination in this population, which may indicate the effectiveness of communication strategies accompanying the COVID-19 immunization campaign in Italy.
| S-EPMC8230551 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Aims and objectivesTo compare knowledge, anxiety, academic concerns and preventative behaviours between undergraduate nursing students in Australia and India during the COVID-19 pandemic.BackgroundBased on the World Health Organization's direction for containment of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), countries implemented varying levels of restrictions including closure of university campuses and providing on line undergraduate education.MethodsStudents in NSW, Australia and Kerala, India completed an online survey assessing their (a) knowledge and source of information about COVID-19; (b) anxiety; and coping strategies; (c) academic concerns; and (d) preventative behaviours. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to summarise the data.ResultsData from 99 Australian and 113 Indian undergraduate nurses were analysed. Greater number of Indian students indicated having sufficient knowledge of COVID-19 (OR 0.22; 95% CI 0.08, 0.63), getting information about COVID-19 from social media (OR 0.03; 95% CI 0.01, 0.07) and being concerned about 'attending clinical placement' (MD-1.08; 95% CI -1.94, -0.23). Australian students reported significantly higher levels of anxiety (MD 1.99 95% CI 1.21, 2.78), difficulty sleeping (OR 18.00; 95% CI 6.76, 47.96), concentrating (OR 33.22; 95% CI 13.85, 79.67) and eating (OR 14.05; 95% CI 3.19, 61.84). Greater number of Australian students indicated that they would go to the University if they needed to meet with other students (OR 9.21; 95% CI 3.08, 27.55), had to access the library (OR 7.20; 95% CI 3.26, 15.90) or had a group assignment (OR 2.93; 95% CI 1.26, 6.77).ConclusionsWide variations were present in knowledge, anxiety, academic concerns and preventative behaviours among undergraduate nursing students in two countries.Relevance to clinical practiceUndergraduate students may benefit from additional support from the University and staff in the clinical setting with online learning and resources in order to adjust to the 'new normal' and enable them to achieve academic success.
| S-EPMC8013450 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionThe potential role of medical students in raising awareness during public health emergencies has been acknowledged. To further explore their potentials as public educators and role models for the communities during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, this study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of these students toward COVID-19.MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey was conducted among undergraduate medical students in Indonesia. Socio-demographics characteristics, social interaction history, information-seeking behavior, as well as knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 were collected through a self-reported questionnaire. A p-value of <0.05 indicated statistical significance.ResultsOut of 4870 respondents, 64.9% had positive attitude and 51.5% had positive practice toward COVID-19, while only 29.8% had adequate knowledge. Knowledge was slightly positively correlated with attitude and practice (ρ = 0.074 and ρ = 0.054, respectively; both p<0.001), while attitude was weakly correlated with practice (ρ = 0.234, p<0.001). Several factors including age, sex, place of residence, institution type, academic level, family income, history of chronic illness, prior volunteering experience, and perceptual awareness on COVID-19 were significantly associated with either knowledge, attitude, and/or practice toward COVID-19. Furthermore, health institution's and the government's press releases, as well as health expert opinions were deemed as the most reliable sources of COVID-19-related information-yet trivially none of these sources were associated with knowledge, attitude, and practice in the study population.ConclusionMany undergraduate medical students in Indonesia had positive attitude and practice against COVID-19, yet only a few had adequate knowledge. This warrants further interventions to keep them updated with COVID-19 evidence to maximize their potentials in raising public awareness on COVID-19.
| S-EPMC8782366 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundEmergency contraception (EC) is a type of modern contraception which is indicated after unprotected sexual intercourse when regular contraception is not in use. The importance of EC is evident in preventing unintended pregnancies and its ill consequences like unintended child delivery or unsafe abortion, which are the most common causes of maternal mortality. Therefore, EC need to be available and used appropriately as a backup in case regular contraception is not used, misused or failed. Knowing that Ethiopia is one of the countries with highest maternal mortality rate, this study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of EC, and to further elucidate the relationship between these factors and some socioeconomic and demographic characteristics among female undergraduate students of Addis Ababa University (AAU). This information will contribute substantially to interventions intended to combat maternal mortality.MethodsA Cross-sectional quantitative study among 368 AAU undergraduate students was conducted using self-administered questionnaire. Study participants were selected by stratified random sampling. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS Version 17. Results were presented using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation and logistic regression.ResultsAmong the total participants (n = 368), only 23.4% were sexually active. Majority (84.2%) had heard of EC; 32.3% had a positive attitude towards it. The main source of information reported by the respondents was Media (69.3%). Among those who were sexually active, about 42% had unprotected sexual intercourse. Among those who had unprotected sexual intercourse, 75% had ever used EC. Sexually active participants had significantly better attitude towards EC than sexually inactive participants (crude OR 0.33(0.15-0.71)); even after adjusting for possible confounders such as age, region, religion, ethnicity, marital status, department and family education and income (adj. OR 0.36(0.15-0.86)).ConclusionsThe study showed high EC awareness and usage in contrast to other studies in the city, which could be due to the fact that university students are relatively in a better educational level. Therefore, it is highly recommended that interventions intended to combat maternal mortality through contraceptive usage need to be aware of such information specific to the target groups.
| S-EPMC3293041 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundIntegrating medical students in research at an early stage of their program is a crucial step to enhance the ability of future physicians to employ critical thinking and problem-solving processes, which in turn improves patients' health outcomes.MethodsA cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was administered to medical school students at Al-Balqa Applied University. This study aims to analyze the attitudes, practices, and barriers faced by medical students in regard to engaging in medical research.ResultsA total of 333 students participated in the study with a mean age of 21.2 ± 1.5 years. A total of 60.1% were females. Female students had significantly higher knowledge scores (µ = 3.97, SD ± 1.81, P = 0.009) than males (µ = 3.44, SD ± 1.69). As students progress to higher academic years of their clinical program, their knowledge in research significantly increases in comparison to their knowledge in basic medical years (P < 0.001). Student age and academic year significantly correlated with the knowledge scores; each additional year of study increased the knowledge score by 0.25 (β = 0.25, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.63). The percentage of students who correctly answered each question on the knowledge scale was 37.5% (SD ± 12.5%). The most reported barriers to research participation were insufficient training in medical research, lack of sufficient research opportunities, and lack of stimulation and support from faculty.ConclusionsMedical students demonstrated a positive attitude toward research starting from their second year of study, despite having limited knowledge on the topic. They identified barriers that could be utilized to promote greater involvement of students in research. The implications for clinical practice suggest that policymakers and educators should consider the outcomes of this study and implement improvements in medical education, specifically by encouraging the early participation of students in the research process.
| S-EPMC10768081 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The inappropriate use of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance, which reduces their efficacy. The education of undergraduates is likely to influence their practices. Assessing awareness is critical in the general effort to confront the spread of antibiotic resistance. This cross-sectional investigation was carried out using the questionnaire "Antibiotic resistance: Multi-country public awareness" developed by the World Health Organization. Students from different backgrounds at the Central University participated in the study (n = 733). The survey comprised five sections: demographics, knowledge, usage, sources of information, and attitudes. The rate of correct answers was 64.88%; differences were detected between programs of study (p < 0.001); effect size analysis showed that these differences cannot be considered large. Individuals from applied sciences scored higher than their counterparts from social studies. Mostly, interviewees were knowledgeable about usage, but mistakenly associated antibiotics with conditions such as cold/flu or viral illnesses; also, they associated antibiotic resistance with the patient and not with bacteria. Despite these misconceptions, positive attitudes were registered overall, and students generally adhered to common practices. They cited doctors/nurses and teachers as sources of information. As a consequence, it is recommended to develop courses that address deficient knowledge regarding antibiotic resistance, especially for individuals affiliated to social disciplines.
| S-EPMC8868098 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many facets of life. This study focuses on undergraduate and postgraduate students in China to explore how the pandemic has affected health status, daily life, learning situations, graduation-related situations, and their studies or work planning.MethodsThis study sent online questionnaires to 2,395 participants to investigate the extent to which they were affected by the epidemic in the various aspects mentioned above and to understand what help they tend to get in the face of these effects.ResultsA total of 2,000 valid questionnaires were collected. The physical health of 82.90% of the respondents was affected to varying degrees, with male students, non-medical students, and graduates being more affected than female students, students with medical majors, and non-graduates, respectively. The proportion of students affected by mental health, the total amount of physical exercise, emotional life, and interpersonal communication was 86.35, 88.65, 80.15, and 90.15%, respectively. Compared with medical students and non-graduates, non-medical students and graduates were more affected. In addition, students' learning and graduation conditions have also been affected to a certain extent: 13.07% of students may not be able to graduate on time, and the proportion of postgraduate students' graduations affected was higher than that of undergraduate students.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health status of students, their daily lives, learning situations, and so on to varying degrees. We need to pay attention to the issues, provide practical solutions, and provide a basis for better responses to similar epidemics in the future.
| S-EPMC9935598 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Several public health measures have been implemented to contain the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. The adherence to control measures is known to be influenced by people's knowledge, attitudes and practices with regard to the disease. This study aimed at assessing COVID-19 knowledge in individuals who were tested for the virus. An online cross-sectional survey of 32 items, adapted to the national context, was conducted among 1656 Ecuadorians. The mean knowledge score was 22.5 ± 3 out of 28, with significant differences being observed with regard to educational attainment. People with postgraduate training scored higher than those with college, secondary and elementary instruction. Indeed, multiple linear regression revealed that lower scores were associated significantly with the latter three levels of education. Interviewees were knowledgeable about the symptoms, detection, transmission and prevention of the disease. However, they were less assertive regarding the characteristics of the virus as well as the usefulness of traditional and unproven treatments. These outcomes indicated a lack of knowledge in fundamental aspects of virus biology, which may limit the effectiveness of further prevention campaigns. Conclusively, educational and communicational programs must place emphasis on explaining the basic molecular characteristics of SARS-CoV-2; such information will certainly contribute to improve the public's adherence to control measures.
| S-EPMC7916451 | biostudies-literature