scholarly journals Knowledge and Practices during the COVID-19 Outbreak in the Middle East: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author(s):  
Abdallah Y. Naser ◽  
Eman Zmaily Dahmash ◽  
Zahra Khalil Alsairafi ◽  
Hassan Alwafi ◽  
Hamad Alyami ◽  
...  

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices of the general public in the Middle Eastern countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted between the 19th of March and the 6th of April 2020 in three Middle Eastern countries (Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait) to explore the knowledge and practices of the Middle Eastern population regarding COVID-19. A previously developed questionnaire was adapted and used for this study. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify predictors of COVID-19 knowledge. Results: A total of 1208 participants (members of the public) participated from the three countries (Jordan = 389, Saudi Arabia = 433, and Kuwait = 386). The majority of participants (n = 810, 67.2%) were females aged 30 to 49 years (n = 501, 41.5%). Participants had moderate overall COVID-19 knowledge, with a mean (SD) score of 7.93 (±1.72) out of 12 (66.1%). Participants had better knowledge about disease prevention and control (83.0%), whereas the lowest sub-scale scores were for questions about disease transmission routes (43.3%). High education level was an important predictor of greater COVID-19 knowledge scores (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Further public education is needed to address the relatively low level of education regarding the transmission of COVID-19 in the Middle Eastern countries. Policymakers are recommended to develop informative COVID-19 related campaigns that specifically target young people (university students), unemployed individuals, and those with lower levels of education.

Author(s):  
Abdallah Y Naser ◽  
Eman Zmaily Dahmash ◽  
Hassan Alwafi ◽  
Zahra Khalil Alsairafi ◽  
Ahmed M. Al Rajeh ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe emergence of COVID-19 globally coupled with its unknown aetiology and its high transmission rate has created an unprecedented state of emergency worldwide. Public knowledge and awareness about COVID-19 are essential in suppressing its pandemic status.MethodA cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted between 19th of March and 6th of April 2020 in three Middle Eastern countries (Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait) to explore the knowledge and practices of Middle Eastern population towards COVID-19. A previously developed questionnaire was used. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify predictors of COVID-19 knowledge.ResultsA total of 1,208 participants were involved in this study from the three countries (Jordan = 389, Saudi Arabia = 433, and Kuwait = 386). The majority of participants (n = 810, 67.2%) were females and aged 30 to 49 years (n = 501, 41.5%). Participants had moderate overall COVID-19 knowledge with a mean score of 7.93 (±1.72) out of 12, 66.1%. Participants had better knowledge about disease prevention and control with 83.0%, whereas the lowest sub-scale scores were for questions about disease transmission routes (43.3%). High education level was an important predictor of greater COVID-19 knowledge scores (p<0.01).ConclusionMiddle Eastern participants are of a relatively low level of knowledge about COVID-19, particularly regarding its transmission routes. Policymakers are recommended to develop informative COVID-19 related campaigns targeted specifically towards university students, unemployed individuals and those with lower levels of education.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Osama Al-Wutayd ◽  
Ali E. Mansour ◽  
Ahmad Hamad Aldosary ◽  
Hamdan Z. Hamdan ◽  
Manal A. Al-Batanony

AbstractHandwashing (HW) with water and soap is one of the cheapest and most effective ways of protecting oneself and others against the coronavirus. Here, the HW knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Saudi adults were assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic using a cross-sectional study conducted between May 8 and June 8, 2020, during a partial lockdown period. A web-based validated questionnaire was distributed through different social media platforms, and the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, seven items related to knowledge, four items related to attitudes, and thirteen items related to the practice of HW were assessed. A total of 1323 (51% male and 49% female) adults from all regions of Saudi Arabia responded to the questionnaire. The overall mean (± SD) was 5.13 (± 1.18) for knowledge of HW and COVID-19, 2.79 (± 0.77) for attitude toward HW, and 7.8 (± 2.56) for HW practice. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed factors associated with knowledge to be age and family income. Sex, educational level, family income, and HW knowledge were associated with negative and neutral attitude, whereas age, sex, family income, and HW knowledge were associated with practice. These results suggest that HW knowledge was strongly associated with positive attitudes toward HW and correct HW practice in Saudi adults during the COVID-19 lockdown.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e039459
Author(s):  
Abdallah Y Naser ◽  
Zahra Khalil Alsairafi ◽  
Ahmed Awaisu ◽  
Hassan Alwafi ◽  
Oriana Awwad ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo evaluate the attitudes of undergraduate pharmacy students towards patient safety in six developing countries.DesignA cross-sectional study.SettingParticipants were enrolled from the participating universities in six countries.ParticipantsUndergraduate pharmacy students from the participating universities in six developing countries (Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, India and Indonesia) were invited to participate in the study between October 2018 and September 2019.Primary outcomeAttitudes towards patient safety was measured using 14-item questionnaire that contained five subscales: being quality-improvement focused, internalising errors regardless of harm, value of contextual learning, acceptability of questioning more senior healthcare professionals’ behaviour and attitude towards open disclosure. Multiple-linear regression analysis was used to identify predictors of positive attitudes towards patient safety.ResultsA total of 2595 students participated in this study (1044 from Jordan, 514 from Saudi Arabia, 134 from Kuwait, 61 from Qatar, 416 from India and 429 from Indonesia). Overall, the pharmacy students reported a positive attitude towards patient safety with a mean score of 37.4 (SD=7.0) out of 56 (66.8%). The ‘being quality-improvement focused’ subscale had the highest score, 75.6%. The subscale with the lowest score was ‘internalising errors regardless of harm’, 49.2%. Female students had significantly better attitudes towards patient safety scores compared with male students (p=0.001). Being at a higher level of study and involvement in or witnessing harm to patients while practising were important predictors of negative attitudes towards patient safety (p<0.001).ConclusionPatient safety content should be covered comprehensively in pharmacy curricula and reinforced in each year of study. This should be more focused on students in their final year of study and who have started their training. This will ensure that the next generation of pharmacists are equipped with the requisite knowledge, core competencies and attitudes to ensure optimal patient safety when they practice.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Deepak Gowda Sadashivappa Pateel ◽  
Shilpa Gunjal ◽  
Liew Fong Fong ◽  
Nur Sulwana Mohd Hanapi

Background. Saliva, as a complex biofluid, plays a pivotal role in maintaining oral health and tooth integrity. There has been inconsistent data available on the relationship between salivary parameters and oral health. This study aims to investigate the association between salivary statherin, acidic proline-rich proteins (aPRP), and calcium with oral hygiene status. Methods. One hundred and eighty-eight healthy subjects aged between 18 and 50 years with varying oral hygiene status who gave consent to participate were included in this cross-sectional study. The subjects were recruited from primary oral health care of MAHSA University. Oral hygiene of all the participants was measured using Oral Hygiene Index–Simplified (OHI-S). Stimulated saliva collected using paraffin wax was analyzed for salivary statherin, aPRP, and calcium. The relationship between salivary statherin, aPRP, and calcium levels with OHI-S was assessed using Spearman’s Rank correlation coefficient; the strength of relationship was assessed by multiple linear regression analysis. Results. The study found a weak positive correlation (r = 0.179, p  = 0.014) between salivary statherin and OHI-S; weak negative correlation (r = −0.187, p  = 0.010) between salivary aPRP and OHI-S; and moderate negative correlation between salivary statherin and salivary aPRP levels (r = −0.50, p  < 0.001) which were statistically significant. Conclusion. Poor oral hygiene is associated with increased statherin and reduced aPRP levels in saliva. Thus, these salivary components may have a role in predicting oral hygiene status.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2110675
Author(s):  
Iraklis Grigoropoulos

The present study tested whether emotionally burdened parents due to the COVID-19 pandemic might appraise their relationship with their children more negatively. The current cross-sectional study was circulated through social media. A total of 265 respondents took part in the study. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between predictor variables and the parent–child relationship. This study’s results report that older fathers with higher levels of COVID-19 related fear are more likely to appraise negatively their relationship with their children. Therefore, this study suggests the need for family-level strategies to address better the psychological aspects related to the pandemic outbreak.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e000671
Author(s):  
Rahul Verma ◽  
Yasna Mehdian ◽  
Neel Sheth ◽  
Kathy Netten ◽  
Jean Vinette ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo quantify psychosocial risk in family caregivers of children with medical complexity using the Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PAT) and to investigate potential contributing sociodemographic factors.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingFamily caregivers completed questionnaires during long-term ventilation and complex care clinic visits at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.PatientsA total of 136 family caregivers of children with medical complexity completed the PAT questionnaires from 30 June 2017 through 23 August 2017.Main outcome measuresMean PAT scores in family caregivers of children with medical complexity. Caregivers were stratified as ‘Universal’ low risk, ‘Targeted’ intermediate risk or ‘Clinical’ high risk. The effect of sociodemographic variables on overall PAT scores was also examined using multiple linear regression analysis. Comparisons with previous paediatric studies were made using T-test statistics.Results136 (103 females (76%)) family caregivers completed the study. Mean PAT score was 1.17 (SD=0.74), indicative of ‘Targeted’ intermediate risk. Sixty-one (45%) caregivers were classified as Universal risk, 60 (44%) as Targeted risk and 15 (11%) as Clinical risk. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed an overall significant model (p=0.04); however, no particular sociodemographic factor was a significant predictor of total PAT scores.ConclusionFamily caregivers of children with medical complexity report PAT scores among the highest of all previously studied paediatric populations. These caregivers experience significant psychosocial risk, demonstrated by larger proportions of caregivers in the highest-risk Clinical category.


Author(s):  
Karnaboopathy Ranganathan ◽  
Venkatesan Dhanagopalan ◽  
Muthukumar Tharumaraj ◽  
Kalaivani Annadurai

Background: There are two kinds living in the world. They are human beings and animals. The human begins of the pre-historic age lived like animals with little knowledge of a system of social advancement. The households in the rural and urban area are facing the difficult situation act spending of fuel consumption. A moderately large amount of the revenue of the households has to be set separately aside for the expenditure on fuel.Methods: This study was a community based cross-sectional study to assess the fuel consumption, 150 households were included in the study.Results: In the study population 75.33% (113) were male and 24.67% (37) were female. Among the study participants 39.33% of the households are using LPG followed by 24% are using firewood were in 20.67% are using electricity and 16% of households are using kerosene. The multiple linear regression analysis were carried out and the results for the coefficient of multiple determination R squared value is 0.420 which implies 42% of the variation in monthly expenditure of fuel due to the variations in the concerned predictor variables.Conclusions: The study could be conducted in a large a scale over a wider area with a more accurate sampling procedure. This would give more information on the relation between the fuel consumption, the need for conservation as related to the different income groups and different educational level of the respondents.


Author(s):  
Azreen Abdullah ◽  
Adibah Hanim Ismail ◽  
Ching Siew Mooi

Introduction:HIV stigma refers to negative beliefs, feelings and attitudes towards people living with HIV (PLWH), groups associated with PLWH and other key populations at higher risk of HIV infection, such as people who inject drugs, sex workers, men who have sex with men and transgender people. Despite the advancement made in the knowledge and treatment of HIV, PLWH continues to be stigmatized.Objective: To determine the level of HIV stigma and its predictors among people living with HIV/AIDS in a tertiary hospital in Malaysia.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among HIV/AIDS patients aged 18 and above at infectious disease clinic in Hospital Sungai Buloh, Gombak, Malaysia. HIV stigma was assessed using Berger’s HIV stigma scale, which is available in Bahasa Malaysia and English.A self-administered questionnaire was used to determine their demographic and clinical characteristics. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify the predictors.Results: 526 subjects participated in this study. The mean age of the study population was 33.5± 8.4 years. The majority of the participants were male (90.9%) and contracted HIV through sexual activities (87.8%). The mean score of HIV stigma was 104.7 ± 19.5. Based on multiple linear regression analysis, patients who were unemployed (B = -8.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -12.12,-3.88, p = < 0.001) and being on antiretroviral treatment (B = 4.95, 95% (CI) = 0.30, 9.60, p = < 0.037) had higher level of HIV stigma.Conclusions: The level of HIV stigma was high (mean score =104.7 ± 19.5). HIV/AIDS patients who are unemployed and on antiretroviral agents were at risks of having higher level of HIV stigma. Future study is needed urgently to implement intervention that can minimize the stigmatization among patients with HIV/AIDS.International Journal of Human and Health Sciences Vol. 04 No. 01 January’20 Page : 26-35


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 205031212110524
Author(s):  
Talal Shaikhain ◽  
Faisal Al-Husayni ◽  
Ghufran Bukhari ◽  
Bushra Alhawsa ◽  
Nora Shalabi ◽  
...  

Background: Coronavirus disease 19 is a pandemic affecting millions worldwide. Since February 2020, new cases are reported in Saudi Arabia, and regulations have been imposed to control the spread of the disease and raise awareness. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of the Kingdom’s residents toward coronavirus disease 19 during the early stages of the pandemic. Method: A cross-sectional study of 2071 participants who were recruited from various cities in Saudi Arabia. An online questionnaire was shared through social media, which contained questions about demographic data, general knowledge of coronavirus disease 19, and participants’ attitudes. Results: The mean age of the study population was 34 ± 12.4 years. Most of the participants agreed that coronavirus disease 19 is a pandemic and is more serious than seasonal influenza. More than 90% believed that handwashing and social distancing are effective in preventing disease transmission. No significant results were observed when comparing the knowledge of high-risk participants and the normal population. More than half of the cohort were strictly compliant with curfew regulations, handwashing, and face mask. Around 80% of the population is following coronavirus disease 19 news and information through official authorities’ press releases. Conclusion: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia residents showed decent knowledge of coronavirus disease 19. Nevertheless, some information needs emphasizing and proper education. Frequent communication between healthcare authorities and the public is highly recommended.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
Reem Al Madani ◽  
Shahzeb H. Ansari

INTRODUCTION: The dispersion of severe COVID-19 has already occupied on pandemic extents, disturbing over 100 nations in a matter of months. A worldwide response to formulate health systems global is imperious. MATERIALS &amp; METHODS: This is a cross sectional study conducted among the Saudi general public using an online survey. Saudis (male and female) of all ages willing to participate in this study were requested to fill up the survey. An online questionnaire was designed using Google Forms with questions related to personal and demographic information followed by COVID-10 related questions. RESULTS: A total of N=1026 subjects participated in this study and responded by completing the online survey. They were divided into groups including gender, age, education and profession type. As far as gender was concerned, 243 (23.7%) males and 783 (76.3%) females took part. CONCLUSION: Overall knowledge of Saudis regarding COVID-19 is above average.


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