scholarly journals Gaps in Knowledge About SARS-CoV-2 & COVID-19 Among University Students Are Associated With Negative Attitudes Toward People With COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study in Cyprus

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicos Middleton ◽  
Constantinos Tsioutis ◽  
Ourania Kolokotroni ◽  
Alexandros Heraclides ◽  
Panagiotis Theodosis-Nobelos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Negative Attitudes

University students represent a highly active group in terms of their social activity in the community and in the propagation of information on social media. We aimed to map the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of University students in Cyprus about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to guide targeted future measures and information campaigns. We used a cross-sectional online survey targeting all students in conventional, not distance-learning, programs in five major universities in the Republic of Cyprus. Students were invited to participate through the respective Studies and Student Welfare Office of each institution. The survey was made available in English and Greek on REDCap. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. The questionnaire was developed based on a consensus to cover the main factual information directed by official channels toward the general public in Cyprus at the time of the survey. In addition to sociodemographic information (N = 8), the self-administered questionnaire consisted of 19 questions, assessing the knowledge regarding the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, infection prevention and control measures (N = 10), perceptions related to COVID-19, for instance, whether strict travel measures are necessary (N = 4), and attitudes toward a hypothetical person infected (N = 2). Furthermore, participants were asked to provide their own assessment of their knowledge about COVID-19 and specifically with regard to the main symptoms and ways of transmission (N = 3). The number of students who completed the survey was 3,641 (41% studying Health/Life Sciences). Amongst them, 68.8% responded correctly to at least 60% of knowledge-related questions. Misconceptions were identified in 30%. Only 29.1% expressed a positive attitude toward a hypothetical person with COVID-19 without projecting judgment (9.2%) or blame (38%). Odds of expressing a positive attitude increased by 18% (95% CI 13–24%; p < 0.001) per unit increase in knowledge. Postgraduate level education was predictive of better knowledge (odds ratio (OR) 1.81; 95% CI 1.34–2.46; p < 0.001 among doctoral students] and positive attitude [OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.01–1.80; p = 0.04). In this study, we show that specific knowledge gaps and misconceptions exist among University students about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 and their prevalence is associated with negative attitudes toward people with COVID-19. Our findings highlight the integrated nature of knowledge and attitude and suggest that improvements to the former could contribute to improvements in the latter.

scholarly journals Psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia: an online cross-sectional study to identify the need for equal attention of intervention

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Argaw Ambelu ◽  
Zewdie Birhanu ◽  
Yimenu Yitayih ◽  
Yohannes Kebede ◽  
Mohammed Mecha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
High Psychological Distress ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
Middle Aged Adults ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic led individuals to suffer from different levels of mental health problems such as psychological distress, anxiety, depression, denial, panic, and fear. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of psychological distress and associated factors among the Ethiopian population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed through an online survey using different online platforms. The questionnaire was created through Google Form and the survey link was administered by e-mail, LinkedIn, Telegram, and Facebook. Educated Ethiopian population who have access to the internet were invited to participate through an online survey and addressed to 929 respondents. The study participants completed the survey anonymously without any personal identifier. The psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler 10-item tool to measure psychological distress. Data were analyzed using SPSS and logistic regression to examine mutually adjusted associations, expressed as adjusted odds ratios. A generalized additive model was also employed to identify additional predictors using R. Results The prevalence of high psychological distress among the study population was 236 (25.5%). Of all respondents, 421 (45.1%) had low psychological distress, 274 (29.4%) had moderate psychological distress, 164 (17.6%) had high psychological distress, and 72 (7.3%) had very high psychological distress. Psychological distress increased with being at young and middle-aged adults, getting information from social media, and not correctly practicing infection prevention and control measures to prevent COVID-19 infection. Respondents with high perceived severity had increased psychological distress. On the contrary, those with the highest score of perceived response efficacy had low distress. Conclusion Prevalence of psychological distress was substantial. The need for intervention of psychological distress inline with the prevention of COVID-19 is critically essential. The intervention target groups are those whose information sources are from social media, young and middle-aged adults, and those who do not correctly practice infection prevention and control measures against COVID-19 infection.

scholarly journals Experiences of Australian podiatrists working through the 2020 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: an online survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cylie M. Williams ◽  
Anna Couch ◽  
Terry Haines ◽  
Hylton B. Menz
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Medical Officer ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Business Decisions ◽  
Working Through ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Abstract Background On the 19th of January, 2020, the Chief Medical Officer of Australia issued a statement about a novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2. Since this date, there have been variable jurisdictional responses, including lockdowns, and restrictions on podiatry practice. This study aimed to describe impacts of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the podiatry profession in Australia. Methods This was a cross sectional study of Australian podiatrists using demographic data collected between 2017 and 2020, and pandemic-related question responses collected between 30th March and 31st August, 2020. Data were collected online and participants described their work settings, patient funding types, business decisions and impacts, and information sources used to guide practice decisions during this time-period. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse open-ended questions about their practice impact of SARS-CoV-2. Results There were 732 survey responses, with 465 Australian podiatrists or podiatric surgeons providing responses describing pandemic impact. From these responses, 223 (49% of 453) podiatrists reported no supply issues, or having adequate supplies for the foreseeable future with personal protective equipment (PPE) or consumables to support effective infection prevention and control. The most frequent responses about employment, or hours of work, impact were reported in the various categories of “business as usual” (n = 312, 67%). Participants described most frequently using the local state and territory Department of Health websites (n = 347, 75%), and the Australian Podiatry Association (n = 334, 72%) to make decisions about their business. Overarching themes which resounded through open-ended comments was that working through the pandemic was likened to a marathon, and not a sprint. Themes were: (i) commitment to do this, (ii) it’s all in the plan, but not everything goes to plan, (iii) my support team must be part of getting through it, (iv) road blocks happen, and (v) nothing is easy, what’s next? Conclusion Podiatrists in Australia reported variable pandemic impact on their business decisions, PPE stores, and their valued sources of information. Podiatrists also described their “marathon” journey through the pandemic to date, with quotes describing their challenges and highlights. Describing these experiences should provide key learnings for future workforce challenges, should further restrictions come into place.

scholarly journals Awareness of COVID-19 Before and After Quarantine Based on Crowdsourced Data From Rabigh City, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional and Comparative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mai Aldhahri ◽  
Rana Alghamdi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Second Stage ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
And Control

Background: Infection prevention and control measures are critical for the prevention of the spread of COVID-19.Aim: In this study, we aimed to measure and evaluate the level of awareness and knowledge of the prevention, symptoms, and transmission control of COVID-19 before and after quarantine among the residents of Rabigh city and adjacent villages in Saudi Arabia.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in two stages: the first stage took place before quarantine and the second stage took place after quarantine. The survey was filled out electronically.Results: A total of 448 participants responded and filled out the questionnaires. Females (73.70%) formed the largest number of participants for both stages. The majority of the participants were <30 years old (50.90%) and had a high education level in various sectors and levels (97.1%). It was noticeable that during the first stage, the participants' awareness of COVID-19 symptoms was not very high: 13.62% did not know about the symptoms. However, by the second stage, awareness about symptoms had increased (9.6%).Conclusion: The residents of Rabigh city and the surrounding villages had good levels of knowledge about COVID-19.

scholarly journals Recreational physical activity context and type preferences among male and female Emirati university students

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 507-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
C B Doyle ◽  
A Khan ◽  
N W Burton
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
University Students ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Recreational Physical Activity ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Activity Types ◽  
Competitive Activities

Abstract Background This study assessed recreational physical activity type and context preferences of Emirati university students. Method This was a cross-sectional study in which a stratified random sample (n=628) (female 69.1%, male 30.9% mean age 20.79±3.81 y) completed an online survey. Relationships between gender and preferences were assessed using regression analysis, adjusted for body mass index and age. Results Activities with a fun element were the most preferred context (87.1%). Walking (66.7%) and swimming (61.7%) were the most preferred activity types. Males had significantly higher odds of preferring competitive activities, and activity types such as football, fitness/weights and jogging. Females had significantly higher odds of preferring activities with people of the same gender, with supervision and done at home, and activity types such as walking, aerobics, cycling, squash and yoga. Conclusion These results can inform physical activity planning for university students in the United Arab Emirates. Fun activity opportunities involving walking or swimming and in the local neighbourhood may be popular for both males and females. Future research could explore uptake and maintenance of activity options, based on preferred activity attributes.

scholarly journals Digital health literacy and online information queries in Portuguese university students

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Rosário ◽  
C Augusto ◽  
MJ Silva ◽  
S Martins ◽  
A Duarte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
University Students ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Logistic Regression Models

Abstract Background Worldwide there is an overwhelming amount of information about COVID-19 circulating online, also named infodemic. Misinformation (the unintentional) and disinformation (the intentional) spreading of false information have proven to be very dangerous to public health. Hence, more than ever, people need skills for searching, evaluating and integrating information related to health in daily life, i.e., health literacy. Until now, little is known about the digital health literacy of university students and their information-seeking behaviour. Hence, this study aimed to analyse the associations between university students' digital health literacy and online information queries during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (and infodemic) in Portugal. Methods A cross-sectional study of 3.084 Portuguese university students (75.7% females), with an average age of 24.2 (SD = 7.5), was conducted using an online survey. We used sociodemographic data (sex, age, subjective social status) and the digital health literacy questionnaire adapted to the specific COVID-19 context. Online information queries included the topics related to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 searched by students. Logistic regression models were performed. Results Online information queries (e.g., individual measures to protect against infection, current spread of the virus, current situation assessments and recommendations) were associated with an increased odds of achieving sufficient digital health literacy. Conclusions Online information queries related to epidemiological and public health topics are significantly associated with digital health literacy in times of COVID-19. Further studies are needed, including programs that improve digital health literacy among university students and increase the availability of high-quality content information.

scholarly journals Cigarette Smoking Habits among University Students: Prevalence and Associated Factors

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 112
Author(s):  
Junaid Jamshed ◽  
Muhammad Mushtaq Khan ◽  
Zahid Latif
Keyword(s):  
Cigarette Smoking ◽  
University Students ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Smoking Behavior ◽  
Peer Pressure ◽  
Tobacco Consumption ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Validated Questionnaire

Smoking is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in the world and is estimated to kill 5 million people each year worldwide. If current patterns of tobacco consumption continue, smoking will kill more than 8 million people each year globally by the year 2030, with 80% of these deaths in the developing countries. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of cigarette smoking among male university students in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 542 male students at University of Azad Jammu &amp; Kashmir in Muzaffarabad from July to December 2015. The socio-demographic characteristics and cigarette smoking behavior of the students were measured by using a standardized pre-tested self-administrated validated questionnaire in English. The overall prevalence of cigarette smoking among students was found to be 49.4%. The mean age of starting cigarette smoking was 19.2 2.73 years. Age, marital status and education were found significantly associted with cigarette smoking behavior (<em>p</em>-value&lt;0.05). The most common reason for cigarette smoking was stress alleviation (35.0%) followed by peer pressure (24.5%). As cigarette smoking is considerably higher among students. There is a need to develop effective tobacco control measures among university students in Muzaffarabad.

scholarly journals Cigarette Smoking Habits among University Students: Prevalence and Associated Factors

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
Junaid Jamshed ◽  
Muhammad Mushtaq Khan ◽  
Zahid Latif
Keyword(s):  
Cigarette Smoking ◽  
University Students ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Smoking Behavior ◽  
Peer Pressure ◽  
Tobacco Consumption ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Validated Questionnaire

Smoking is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in the world and is estimated to kill 5 million people each year worldwide. If current patterns of tobacco consumption continue, smoking will kill more than 8 million people each year globally by the year 2030, with 80% of these deaths in the developing countries. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of cigarette smoking among male university students in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 542 male students at University of Azad Jammu &amp; Kashmir in Muzaffarabad from July to December 2015. The socio-demographic characteristics and cigarette smoking behavior of the students were measured by using a standardized pre-tested self-administrated validated questionnaire in English. The overall prevalence of cigarette smoking among students was found to be 49.4%. The mean age of starting cigarette smoking was 19.2 2.73 years. Age, marital status and education were found significantly associted with cigarette smoking behavior (<em>p</em>-value&lt;0.05). The most common reason for cigarette smoking was stress alleviation (35.0%) followed by peer pressure (24.5%). As cigarette smoking is considerably higher among students. There is a need to develop effective tobacco control measures among university students in Muzaffarabad.

scholarly journals Stigmatization towards cancer among university students in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Justine ◽  
Meor Syazwan Jafri ◽  
Angelbeth Joanny ◽  
Aiman Nadia Akmar
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Screening ◽  
University Students ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Personal Responsibility ◽  
Income Group ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Level Of Agreement

Introduction: Stigmatization towards cancer is a barrier to early cancer screening and treatment. This study was conducted to determine the level of cancer stigma among Malaysian university students in Malaysia with different sociodemographic backgrounds.Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 400 students (mean age, SD = 22.22 ± 1.67 years) from a selected university in Malaysia. Data were collected from October 2019 to February 2020 through an online survey. The Cancer Stigma Scale (CASS) was used in assessing the levels of cancer stigma among university students with different courses and social backgrounds. The CASS was used in assessing multiple aspects of cancer stigma, including severity, personal responsibility, awkwardness, avoidance, policy opposition, and financial discrimination.Results: Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 23). Results showed that the stigmatization level toward cancer among university students varied across the six subscales. Items regarding the severity of a cancer diagnosis showed the highest level of agreement (32–52%; M = 3.05, SD = 0.96), whereas the item ‘avoiding someone with cancer’ showed the lowest agreement, 7–10% (Mean = 1.85, SD = 0.97). Stigma was significantly higher in young students, males, non-health science students, students in the junior year level, students without family histories of cancer, and the low-income group (p < 0.05).Conclusion: These findings may provide a benchmark of stigmatization level among university students in Malaysia and may be a valuable basis for delivering information and education on cancer screening and treatment.

scholarly journals The Emergence of Dissociative Experiences as a Function of Perceived Stress Among University Students During the COVID-19 Lockdown

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Szabolcs Garbóczy ◽  
Anita Szemán-Nagy ◽  
Mohamed S. Ahmad ◽  
Szilvia Harsányi ◽  
Dorottya Ocsenás ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Dissociative Experiences ◽  
High Level ◽  
The University

Abstract Background: The findings of previous literature showed that epidemics and the associated control measures can increase the level of stress experienced by people. The phenomenon of dissociation has been investigated by many studies, and some have found that stress and trauma may play a central role in its development. In our research study, we examined the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on the mental health of students at the University of Debrecen in Hungary. We investigated whether or not the changes caused by the pandemic induced stress among students and whether or not it was accompanied by an increase in the number of dissociative experiences. Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Debrecen in Hungary in the period April 30 - May 15, 2020, to assess levels of perceived stress as well as dissociative experiences among students at the time of the official nationwide lockdown. Our survey has adopted the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). A total of 1320 students have enrolled in our study. Results: Our results showed a high level of perceived stress among the students during the pandemic and lockdown. This elevation was found to have a significant correlation with the emergence of dissociative experiences among both the Hungarian and the international students. Also, these changes were significant among males and females and in all subscales. Female students’ levels of dissociative experiences were higher than of male students on all subscales and in both groups (Hungarian and international). Conclusion: According to our findings, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the quarantine situation increased the perceived stress level which has played a significant role in the development of dissociative experiences among the students. The increased frequency of dissociative experiences entails a higher risk to the appearance of dissociative disorders; thus, it is crucial to create a safety net for university students who are susceptible to high levels of stress.

scholarly journals Knowledge, attitude and practices about dengue fever among adults living in Pwani Region, Tanzania in 2019

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 1601-9
Author(s):  
Method Kazaura
Keyword(s):  
Dengue Fever ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Internal Migrations

Background: Dengue fever (DF) is currently widespread in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Among the triggers of ep- idemic include urbanization and internal migrations. Within the past few years, there have been DF outbreaks in Tanzania. Although Pwani region is among the predicted risk areas for the DF, there is insufficient data about people’s knowledge, attitude and practices towards prevention of DF in their settings. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude and practices about DF among adults in Pwani region in Tanzania. Methods: The cross-sectional study conducted in Mkuranga District, Pwani region in Tanzania. We used face-to-face inter- views to collect data. The main analytical procedure was descriptive using frequencies. Results: The majority, 97.7%, were aware of DF. Nevertheless, almost 80% had a low knowledge on symptoms, transmis- sion and vector control measures. Furthermore, less than 20% had positive attitude towards dengue fever prevention, sever- ity of the illness and health seeking behavior. Conclusion: Lack of enough knowledge and positive attitude about disease transmission, symptoms and preventive meas- ures put the population at high risk of contracting the disease. There is need to create and improve friendly, correct and simple information, education and education messages for the rural populations. Keywords: Attitude; Dengue; knowledge; practice; rural.

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