scholarly journals Role of community-based measures in adherence to self-protective behaviors during first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-79
Author(s):  
Asma Ayyed AL-Shammary ◽  
Sehar un-Nisa Hassan ◽  
Aqeela Zahra ◽  
Fahad Bin Zafir Algahtani ◽  
Shadi Suleiman
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Personal Responsibility ◽  
Protective Behaviors ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Second Wave

Background: The expected second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has started in various regions of the world. Public health experts warned that it could be as lethal as the first wave if people did not comply with self-protective measures. Currently, there is a gap in the literature on the relationship between peoples’ assessment of the effectiveness of community-based measures regarding adherence to self-protective behaviors for COVID-19 prevention and control. This study aimed to assess the role of the perceived effectiveness of community-based measures in adherence to self-protective behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The cross-sectional online survey conducted from March 24 to June 22, 2020. The study sample Included 400 participants (49% male and 51% female) from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The outcome measure was compliance to four self-protective behaviors i.e., "social distancing;" "wearing facemask;" "washing hands more frequently;" and "disinfecting surfaces in homes." We computed Chi-square statistics and odds ratios (ORs) using 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The findings demonstrated that participants aged 25–34 years old were 25% less likely to comply with hand hygiene (OR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.33–0.95) and social distancing (OR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.34–0.98). Misconceptions related to COVID-19 significantly decreased compliance with self-protective behaviors by up to 27%. Participants who rated government decisions as useful were approximately 1.7 times more likely to comply with self-protective behaviors. Conclusion: Community-based measures should focus on engaging segments of the population That are currently less compliant. Health education policies should also focus on enhancing the perceived sense of control and personal responsibility and reduce anxiety levels. A continuous commitment to the implementation of preventive interventions and the clarification of misconceptions are required to combat the expected second wave.

Breastfeeding practices among mothers of infants in Peringara Panchayat in Pathanamthitta District

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aswathy S. ◽  
Lakshmi M. K.
Keyword(s):  
Exclusive Breastfeeding ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Breastfeeding Practices ◽  
Chi Square Test ◽  
Type Of Delivery ◽  
Initiation Of Breastfeeding

The study was aimed to assess the breastfeeding practices among mothers of infants in Peringara Gramapanchayat in Kerala. Study was a community based cross-sectional study among mothers of infants in Peringara gramapanchayat using a pretested questionnaire. 142 breastfeeding mothers of infants in Peringara gramapanchayat were studied and mothers who were not present at home during the study were excluded from the study. Study period consisted of 18 days between December 2015 and January 2016. Study variables includes type of delivery, initiation of breastfeeding, breastfeeding practices and role of ASHAs in promoting good breastfeeding practices. Statistical analysis was done using Pearson’s Chi-square test and T test. The study found that exclusive breastfeeding has been done by 68.3% of mothers. There is no practice of giving pre-lacteal feed, 95.8% of mothers have given colostrum to the new born. Statistically significant association was found between the type of delivery and time of initiation of breastfeeding (p less than 0.05). Time of initiation of breastfeeding was prolonged in case of Caesarean section. 49.3% of mothers have breastfed the baby within one hour. 55.6% of mothers were informed about importance of breastfeeding by ASHAs and only 20.4% of mothers were informed about period of exclusive breastfeeding and period of complimentary feeding by ASHAs.

scholarly journals Pharmacists’ Perception of the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11541
Author(s):  
Tamara Al-Daghastani ◽  
Odate Tadros ◽  
Shereen Arabiyat ◽  
Deema Jaber ◽  
Husam AlSalamat
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Second Wave

Objectives: To analyze the role of pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic, to measure pharmacists’ attitude toward COVID-19 safety measures (wearing masks, wearing gloves, isolation shield, good hygiene, etc.), and explore their perspectives regarding a second wave of the virus. Methods: This cross-sectional online survey study was conducted in Jordan during the COVID-19 outbreak in July 2020 to discuss Jordanian pharmacists’ awareness of safety at their workplace during the COVID-19 outbreak, their sources of information, and their predictions for COVID-19 vaccination. Results: The participants (n = 311) were all pharmacists mostly aged between 23–30 years old (45%) and female (83%). The primary source of information about COVID-19 was social networking (38.9%). Pharmacists were committed to social distancing (86.5%) and wearing masks (76.2%). They expressed levels of agreement to their role in decreasing COVID-19 spread (94.2%) and correcting false information (94.5%); they expressed levels of expectation toward concern about a second COVID-19 wave (83%) that would be more severe than the previous one (43.4%). Pharmacists expected that an influenza vaccine might be helpful in decreasing severity and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic (56.9%). Pharmacists expected COVID-19 vaccine development within 6 months of administering our study survey (84.9%) and that vaccination might be effective in preventing COVID-19 (93%) infection. Conclusion: Pharmacists expressed positive roles on COVID-19 spread through exemplary actions, self-commitment to protection measures, and public health awareness. Social media as a source of health information should be cautiously investigated, and pharmacists should always refer to evidence-based sources. The role of pharmacists is particularly important for the upcoming era of COVID-19 vaccination administration and awareness.

GOING OUT NORMALLY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: INSIGHTS ABOUT THE LACK OF ADHESION TO SOCIAL DISTANCING

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Mateus Joaquim ◽  
André Luiz Braule Pinto ◽  
Rafaela Ferreira Guatimosim ◽  
Jonas Jardim de Paula ◽  
Alexandre Luiz de Oliveira Serpa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Emotional Stability ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Protective Behaviors ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Psychopathological Symptoms ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Big Five Model ◽  
Second Wave

The population's adhesion to measures to ensure social distancing represents a great management challenge. Evidence has shown that social distancing is effective. However, it is challenging to separate government measures from social distancing driven by personal initiatives. Theory: It is possible that the output of protective behaviors, such as adherence to protective measures and staying in social isolation, is influenced by individual characteristics, such as personality traits or symptoms of mental distress of anxiogenic nature. We hypothesized that individuals with more expressive symptoms of fear or anxiety would have a more protective behavioral tendency in terms of risk exposure, leaving less home during the pandemic. In contrast, individuals with greater emotional stability, as they feel more secure and with a lower perception of risk, could go out more often.Material and Methods: A total of 2709 individuals from all regions of Brazil participated in the study (mean age = 42 years; 2134 women). Correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationships between personality traits according to the big five model and Psychopathological Symptoms (BSI). Then investigate how people that go out usually differ from people that stay at home, in both symptoms and personality traits. Finally, to investigate the predictors for going out usually, we use multiple regression analysis, using gender, marital status, level of education, and personality traits. Results: During the second wave of COVID-19 in Brazil, individuals with higher emotional stability tended to leave home more than those with more expressive levels of anxiogenic dysregulation. These results reinforce the role of both personality traits and psychopathological symptoms in prophylactic behavior during COVID-19 pandemics.

scholarly journals PROTECTIVE BEHAVIOR AGAINST COVID-19 AMONG VIETNAMESE PEOPLE IN THE SOCIAL DISTANCING CAMPAIGN A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
AISDL
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Protective Behavior ◽  
Protective Behaviors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Precautionary Measures ◽  
Gender Knowledge

In the global fight against the rapid spread of COVID-19, a variety of unprecedented preventive measures have been implemented across the globe, as well as in Vietnam. How Vietnamese people respond to threats to their health and life remains unclear. For this reason, the current study aims to examine Vietnamese people’s protective behavior and its factors. Based on 1,798 online survey respondents’ data collected on the last three days of the nationwide social distancing campaign in mid-April, it is found that gender, knowledge of COVID-19 and preventive measures, and attitudes towards the COVID-19 prevention policies are the three main factors of participants’ protective behaviors. We also find that males are less likely than females to adopt precautionary measures. People who are knowledgeable about COVID-19 may have inappropriate practices towards it. Further research is needed to examine other determinants of protective behaviors to provide more useful information for authorities, public health policy-makers, and healthcare workers to deliver the best practices to control COVID-19 in our country.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine in preventing infection in dental practitioners: results of a cross-sectional questionnaire based survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjeev Kumar ◽  
Susmita Saxena ◽  
Mansi Atri ◽  
Sunil Kumar Chamola
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Dental Practitioners ◽  
Chi Square Test ◽  
Group A ◽  
Second Wave

India started its vaccination program at the beginning of 2021, the main beneficiaries being health workers and frontline workers including police, paramilitary forces, sanitation workers, and disaster management volunteers in the first phase. By the time, the second wave of Covid-19 impacted India, approximately 14 million healthcare and frontline workers, including dentists had been vaccinated. Aim: To study the effectiveness of vaccination on a subset of high-risk healthcare workers i.e. dentists in preventing Covid-19 during the second wave of the pandemic. Study design: A questionnaire based pan-India online survey was carried out to record the Covid-related experiences of dentists prior to and after vaccination. Result: During the second wave, 9.18% (n=364) respondents became positive in spite of the vaccine, while 14.69%(n=78) became positive in the unvaccinated group. A chi-square test of independence was performed to examine the relation between vaccination and the Covid positivity rate in all age groups. The relation between these variables was highly significant, [X2 (1, N = 4493) = 15.9809, p=.000064]. Conclusion: Our pan-India online survey inferred that vaccination has a definitive role to play in reducing the positivity rate amongst dentists during the second wave of the pandemic across all age groups.

scholarly journals Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice among Malaysian in facing COVID-19 During the Implementation of Movement Control Order

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asnarulkhadi Abu Samah ◽  
mahazan muhammad ◽  
Abdul Hadi Sulaiman ◽  
Siti Rahah Harun
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Chi Square Test ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Real Picture

Abstract Background: The rapid acceleration in the number of hospitalizations and deaths of COVID-19 has attracted global attention and caused worldwide fear. In mid-March 2020, Malaysia has recorded the highest COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia. As an immediate response, the Malaysian government has imposed Movement Control Order (MCO) to break the chain of infection and slow down the pandemic widespread. By mid-May 2020, R naught in Malaysia is at 0.3 as compared to 3.55 in mid-March 2020. Understanding the public’s knowledge, awareness, and reaction toward COVID-19 during the outbreak in the general population is paramount to give a real picture of the public’s responses in curbing the COVID-19 widespread. This study aims to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice of social distancing among Malaysians during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: This cross-sectional study presents results from 3211 respondents by answering questionnaires through an online survey from 24 - 26 March 2020, one week after MCO was imposed. Responses were summarized using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test (χ²) statistic ware used to test whether the data from two or more groups of categories are associated with social distance practice.Results: Almost half of the respondents have an excellent level of knowledge (47.6%) and a positive attitude (47.4%) towards the COVID-19. Interestingly, more than half of the respondents (67.5%) performed good social distancing practice, while 30% exercised strict social distancing practice. A chi-square test shows that there is a significant association between knowledge and social distancing practice and no significant association between attitudes and social distancing practice. Conclusions: There is no COVID-19 vaccine nor herd immunity obtained yet, therefore the social distancing practice is the effective mechanism adopted to reduce the COVID-19 widespread, and Malaysia has proven it.

Current Knowledge, Satisfaction, and Use of E-health Mobile Application (Seha) among the General Population of Saudi Arabia: A National Survey (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulelah Mastour Aldhahir ◽  
Jaber Saud Alqahtani ◽  
Malik A. Althobiani ◽  
Saeed M. Alghamdi ◽  
Abeer F. Alanazi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
General Population ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

BACKGROUND Background: The Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) decided to enhance telemedicine provision by introducing the Seha mobile app; however, the perception of the Seha app has not been extensively explored from the perspective of the general population OBJECTIVE This study aims to explore the current knowledge, satisfaction, and barriers to the use of the Seha app among the general population in Saudi Arabia. METHODS A cross-sectional online survey was distributed among the general population of Saudi Arabia. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the respondents’ characteristics. Categorical variables were reported as frequencies and percentages. A chi-square (χ2) test was conducted to assess the statistical difference between respondents’ demographic characteristics and their knowledge and use of the Seha app. RESULTS 2,921 (58%) of the respondents had heard of the app, although only 1,286 (25%) had used Seha. Higher users were noticed among those above 51 years of age and females, 67 (35%) and 804 (28%), respectively. Highest Seha users were from the western region, 388 (29%: P <0.05). Consulting a doctor was the most frequently used service, 576 (58%). Respondents strongly agreed, 402 (41%), or agreed, 470 (48%), that Seha was easy to use. Moreover, 538 (54%) strongly agreed and 343 (35%) agreed that they would recommend Seha to others. The most common barrier to using the Seha app was a lack of knowledge about the app and its benefits, 1,556 (35%). CONCLUSIONS Conclusion: Utilization of the Seha app in Saudi Arabia is very low due to a lack of knowledge about the app and its benefits. Demographic factors and awareness were predictors for higher utilization. Seha was easy to use, and the majority would recommend it to others. Future studies are needed to explore the factors associated with the low rate of use.

scholarly journals The impact of Saudi lockdown to counter COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 78-87
Author(s):  
Khaleel I. Alyahya ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

The study aimed to assess the impact of awareness of citizens and residents in Saudi Arabia toward the home isolation and social distancing during lockdown that might decrease the outbreak of COVID-19, to measure the importance of social behavior to maintain the constant decline of COVID-19 cases and to determine if there is a difference in the level of awareness and behavior between citizens and residents in Saudi Arabia toward the governmental measures during the pandemic. We have adopted a cross-sectional survey design to investigate the impact of Saudi lockdown on blockade COVID-19 by using an anonymous online questionnaire. The targeted population of the study was Saudi citizens and non-Saudi residents of different ages. The collected data were entered into Microsoft Excel (version 2011) and analyzed by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 23. The Chi-square test with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used to examine significant associations between the socio-demographic characteristic of participants, their awareness, and their behavior towards the COVOD-19 pandemic. AP value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The total number of the current study participants was 1168. The majority (70.50%) were married males with children (73.50%). Three-quarters of the participants were equally distributed between the age groups of 30-39, 40-49, and 50-59 years old. Almost all (90.90%) of the participants have received higher education, 73.60% living in the central region, and in large and crowded cities (75.30%). More than half (58.50%) of the Saudi respondents know about the coronavirus from media sources, while for the non-Saudis, 54.50% are well informed regarding the virus. The results of the current study revealed that the majority of the population in the country believe in home isolation and social distancing for the COVID-19 blockade. Additionally, they also consider non-compliance to these measures as one the main factor for the disease outbreak. Most of the participants were committed to home isolation, social distancing, and personal protective measures including wearing masks, gloves, and avoiding face contact.

Knowledge, Attitude and Preparations Toward COVID-19 Among Dentists in Saudi Arabia: An Online Survey (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulmajeed Alharbi ◽  
Khalid Alharbi ◽  
Shaul Hameed ◽  
Ramy Elmoazen
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Certainty Level ◽  
Chi Square Test ◽  
Precautionary Measures ◽  
Knowledge And Attitude ◽  
General Dentists

BACKGROUND Dental professionals are one of the high-risk categories of getting infected with COVID-19 due to their work nature. The study was aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) related to COVID-19 and their clinical practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. OBJECTIVE 1-To evaluate the level of knowledge and attitude regarding the coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) among dentists in Saudi Arabia . 2-To evaluate the certainty level of dental practitioner in continuing dental practice and the preparedness in screening and dealing of COVID-19 patients . METHODS A cross-sectional online survey was conducted using a pre-tested and validated questionnaire. The questionnaire was comprised of closed-ended items related to KAPs. Participants' correct responses were scored and based on the total scores obtained, each domain was categorized into ‘good’, ‘fair’, and ‘poor’. Relationship with Sociodemographic details and KAP scores were analyzed using Pearson’s Chi-square test. RESULTS Most of the participants showed good scores in KAPs related to COVID-19. Saudi Dentists had comparatively better KAP scores compared to Non-Saudi dentists (p<0.001). Male dentists and specialist dentists had comparatively better knowledge scores than female and general dentists respectively (p<0.001). Dentists who had experience for less than 5 years demonstrated lesser knowledge and practice scores than others (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Dentists practice in Saudi Arabia had good knowledge, attitude, and practices towards COVID-19 and its importance in dentistry. Dentists should mandatorily follow all the guidelines and extra precautionary measures to stop the spread of this pandemic.

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