scholarly journals PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICES AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS COVID-19 IN AFGHANISTAN

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 104-115
Author(s):  
Sayeed Naqibullah Orfan ◽  
Abdul Hamid Elmyar

Background: COVID-19 has tremendously affected the world including Afghanistan since its outbreak.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the public knowledge about COVID-19 in Afghanistan as well as practices used to prevent contracting the disease. It also studied the attitudes of the public towards the COVID-19 survivors, and the impact of the participants’ gender, place of residence and marital status on their responses.Method: The data were collected from 1472 individuals through an online survey questionnaire. SPSS version 24.0 was used to analyze the data.Results: The findings showed that the public were very knowledgeable about COVID-19. They used various practices to varying extent to prevent contracting COVID-19 and its spread. Moreover, the participants’ attitudes towards the COVID-19 survivors varied. They had negative attitudes towards them if close contact was concerned, but their attitudes were positive towards them if close contact was not involved, e.g., educating community members about the disease. Gender and place of residence had a significant impact on the participants’ knowledge and practices, but they did not affect their attitudes towards the survivors. Furthermore, marital status significantly affected the participants’ practices, but it did not have any impact on their knowledge and attitudes towards the survivors.

Societies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Ourania Tzoraki ◽  
Svetlana Dimitrova ◽  
Marin Barzakov ◽  
Saad Yaseen ◽  
Vasilis Gavalas ◽  
...  

The ongoing ‘refugee crisis’ of the past years has led to the migration of refugee researchers (RRs) to European countries. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RRs often had to work from home and/or to continue their social, cultural and economic integration process under new conditions. An online survey carried out to explore the impact of the pandemic on the refugee researchers showed that RRs found it difficult to adapt their everyday working life to the ‘home’ setting. The majority have had neither a suitable work environment at home nor the appropriate technology. Although they stated that they are rather pleased with the measures taken by the public authorities, they expressed concern about their vulnerability due to their precarious contracts and the bureaucratic asylum procedures, as the pandemic has had a negative impact on these major issues. The majority of RRs working in academia seem not to have been affected at all as far as their income is concerned, while the majority of those employed in other sectors became unemployed during the pandemic (58%). Recommendations are provided to the public authorities and policy makers to assist RRs to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic on their life.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Yijie Huang ◽  
Tao Ai ◽  
Jun Luo ◽  
Hanmin Liu

Abstract Background Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a change in the incidence and transmission of respiratory pathogens was observed. Here, we retrospectively analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on the epidemiologic characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection among children in Chengdu, one of the largest cities of western China. Method M. pneumoniae infection was diagnosed in 33,345 pediatric patients with respiratory symptoms at the Chengdu Women’s & Children’s Central Hospital between January 2017 and December 2020, based on a serum antibody titer of ≥1:160 measured by the passive agglutination assay. Differences in infection rates were examined by sex, age, and temporal distribution. Results Two epidemic outbreaks occurred between October-December 2017 and April-December 2019, and two infection peaks were detected in the second and fourth quarters of 2017, 2018, and 2019. Due to the public health response to COVID-19, the number of positive M. pneumoniae cases significantly decreased in the second quarter of 2020. The number of M. pneumoniae infection among children aged 3–6 years was higher than that in other age groups. Conclusions Preschool children are more susceptible to M. pneumoniae infection and close contact appears to be the predominant factor favoring pathogen transmission. The public health response to COVID-19 can effectively control the transmission of M. pneumoniae.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-71
Author(s):  
Mateja Vuk ◽  
Dalibor Doležal ◽  
Ena Jovanović

Minority threat theory and existing research show that public attitudes towards certain types of offenders (e.g. ethnic and racial minorities) are often more punitive. Research also reveals that a significant proportion of the public associates the increase of immigration with higher crime rates. Negative attitudes, as well as an overall anti-immigration sentiment, have been increasing internationally. Therefore, we hypothesise that the public will have more negative and punitive attitudes towards immigrant offenders than towards citizens. Using a sample of students from the University of Zagreb, this research tested the above-mentioned hypothesis and explored whether factors like immigration status, ethnic identity, type of offense, and the age of the hypothetical offender impact student attitude on immigrant crime. To test this proposition, we used online surveys with factorial vignettes. The results show that participants ask for harsher sentences for undocumented immigrants, but immigrant status and the national origin of the immigrant are not associated with the perception of recidivism, dangerousness, or criminal typicality of offender.


Author(s):  
Stefan Clemens Wille ◽  
Achim Spiller

In the European Union, and Germany in particular, the transport of livestock is an essential step in the meat production process. Pig transport especially, has frequently been the focus of public interest. In the last several decades, awareness for animal welfare has grown in society, which has often led to negative attitudes from the public towards farm animal husbandry and transportation. It is a well-known fact that a person’s knowledge and his/her attitude are strongly linked. Thus far, the connection between knowledge and attitude with regards to the transport of farm animals, especially pigs, has not been scientifically examined. In an online survey taken by 272 German consumers the effect that additional information in the form of written texts and pictures on public perception was examined. The results of this study reveal that this additional information does have a positive effect on the respondents’ attitudes, yet consumer attitudes remain rather negative.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Lia ◽  
B Dorelli ◽  
M Marte ◽  
M Chiappetta ◽  
A Faticoni ◽  
...  

Abstract Background At the end of 2019, a novel pneumonia-causing Coronavirus called Sars-CoV-2 was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. It subsequently spread throughout China and elsewhere, becoming a global health emergency. In February 2020, WHO designated the disease COVID-19, which stands for Coronavirus disease 2019. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the perception of young Italians and to assess their knowledge and attitudes about the disease. Methods An online survey was conducted on 3rd-4th-5th February 2020 with the collaboration of “Skuola.net”, an important Italian Website for students. Young people had the opportunity to participate in the survey by answering an ad hoc questionnaire created to investigate knowledge and attitudes about the new Coronavirus, using a link published on the homepage. Results 5234 responses were received of which 3262 were females and 1972 were males, aged from 11 to 30. 82,4% were students (50,4% high school students) while 17,6% did not attend school or university. Regarding knowledge, 80% of the participants knew that the infection occurs through droplets from infected people; 63% knew that symptoms can appear up to 14 days after exposure; 80% knew that a vaccine has not yet been discovered. Regarding attitudes, 36% admitted that their attitude towards Chinese tourists has significantly worsened; 26% did not buy from Chinese run stores and 24% avoided Chinese restaurants. Conclusions Although most of the participants seem correctly informed about COVID-19, young Italians are at risk of assuming irrational behavior due to psychosis. Key messages The global emergency of COVID-19 needs adequate information to avoid the spread of dangerous psychoses. Young people, usual users of social networks as a means of information, are more at risk of being influenced by fake news and adopting wrong behaviors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 122 (7) ◽  
pp. 2219-2232
Author(s):  
Inna Levy ◽  
Pamela Kerschke-Risch

PurposeThe current research focused on attitudes toward food fraud (AFF) and examined the impact of types of food fraud, gender differences, and country of residence.Design/methodology/approachA convenience sample of German (n = 151) and Israeli (n = 496) participants was recruited through an online survey. They filled out a sociodemographic questionnaire and AFF scale, which includes three subscales: organic fraud, kosher fraud, and spraying fraud.FindingsThe results indicate that there is a significant effect of type of fraud, country of residence, and gender. German participants expressed more negative attitudes toward organic food fraud and less negative attitudes toward kosher fraud than Israeli participants. Women expressed more negative attitudes toward organic and kosher food frauds than men.Originality/valueThis study offers insight into cross-cultural and gender differences in attitudes toward food fraud. The findings suggest that public attitudes toward food fraud represent not just severity of possible consequences, but also environmental and religious aspects of consumption, norms and culture.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ria Angeline Martins ◽  
Russell Seth Martins ◽  
Syeda Maryam Zehra Zaidi ◽  
Scheryar Saqib ◽  
Aiman Ahmed ◽  
...  

Abstract Background:The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has impacted a large majority of Pakistan’s population, with one particular demographic of stakeholders being the country’s young adult population. Our study looks to understand levels COVID-19-related awareness, perceptions, and behaviors, and sources of COVID-19-related knowledge, amongst Pakistan’s young adult population.Methods:This survey was conducted by the Aga Khan University over July-October 2020, via a Google Form disseminated on multiple social media platforms. All respondents aged between 18-35 years and currently residing in Pakistan were included.Results:The questionnaire received a total of 406 responses with the respondents having a mean age of 25.15 ± 5.80 years. 52.5% of the respondents were currently students. The vast majority relied on social media (83.7%), internet blogs/websites (83.3%) and newspapers/television (70.7%) as major sources of information regarding COVID-19. The highest percentage of individuals believed spread was possible through contaminated surfaces (95.3%), while 86.4% believed spread was possible via inhalation of droplets, and 52.0% via close contact with asymptomatic individuals. Alarmingly, 21.9% believed that transmission was possible through contact with packages shipped from China, and 16% believed COVID-19 could be contracted by eating food in Chinese restaurants. Moreover, 24.1% believed COVID-19 to be a biological weapon designed in a laboratory, while 23.9% were unsure.Conclusions: Our survey revealed some deficiencies in the understanding of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, along with racial biases and the prevalence of misinformation. Since young adults play an important role in the global response to the pandemic, our study suggests interventions that target the young adults in Pakistan in an attempt to increase their awareness about the pandemic and help them cope with its effects.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 229-235
Author(s):  
St. Rahmawati Hamzah ◽  
Hamzah B

Abstrak: Kasus stunting di Indonesia masih tergolong tinggi dengan menyentuh angka 30,8%. Angka ini masih jauh dari standar WHO yaitu 20%. Angka prevalensi stunting di Sulawesi Utara sebesar 25,5%, meskipun angka stunting Sulawesi Utara di bawah angka nasional (30,8%) namun masih ada empat daerah dengan angka prevalensi stunting yang cukup tinggi termasuk kabupaten Bolaang Mongondow sebesar 30,6%. Tujuan pengabdian ini adalah untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan masyarakat Desa Muntoi Kecamatan Passi Barat Kabupaten Bolaang Mongondow tentang pencegahan stunting. Metode yang digunakan adalah ceramah interaktif dan tanya jawab. Hasil penyuluhan menunjukkan bahwa rata-rata skor pengetahuan masyarakat tentang stunting pada saat pre-test adalah 10,43 dan pada saat post-test meningkat menjadi 19,60. Dampak pengabdian ini adalah meningkatnya pengetahuan masyarakat tentang pencegahan stunting dengan perbedaan nilai rata-rata skor pengetahuan peserta penyuluhan pada saat pre-test dan post-test dengan angka 9,17. Untuk itu disarankan kepada masyarakat khususnya pada ibu untuk melakukan pencegahan stunting dengan pemenuhan asupan gizi selama hamil, melahirkan dan anak sebelum usia 2 tahun.Abstract: Stunting cases in Indonesia are still high, touching 30.8%. This figure is still far from the WHO standard of 20%. The stunting prevalence rate in North Sulawesi is 25.5%, although North Sulawesi's stunting rate is below the national rate (30.8%), there are still four regions with a fairly high stunting prevalence rate including Bolaang Mongondow district of 30.6%. The purpose of this service is to increase the knowledge of the people of Muntoi Village, Passi Barat District, Bolaang Mongondow Regency about the prevention of stunting. The methods used are interactive lectures and question and answer. The results showed that the average score of public knowledge about stunting at the pre-test was 10.43 and at the time of the post-test it increased to 19.60. The impact of this service is an increase in public knowledge about stunting prevention with the difference in the mean score of knowledge of the extension participants during the pre-test and post-test with a figure of 9.17. For this reason, it is recommended to the public, especially mothers, to prevent stunting by fulfilling nutritional intake during pregnancy, childbirth and children before the age of 2 years.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Mohamad Audy Novaldi ◽  
Dasrun Hidayat

This study focuses on the public perception of Soreang District, Bandung Regency regarding Large-Scale Social Restrictions. This problem is examined because in its implementation the Large Scale Social Restrictions creates many different perceptions that are felt by each individual, thus affecting the effectiveness of the implementation of the policy. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent of public knowledge and attitudes about Large Scale Social Restrictions and to find out whether the community has complied with the policy. To answer these objectives, researchers used descriptive research methods with a qualitative approach. The technique of collecting data through interviews, observation and document review. The interview involved most of the people of Soreang District, Bandung Regency. Meanwhile, document review is taken from news in various mass media as well as theory from relevant references. Data analysis techniques use reduction analysis, display, and data conclusion. The results of this study indicate that the people of Soreang District, Bandung Regency already understand and comply with the Large Scale Social Restrictions policy. This is supported by the results of interviews the researchers conducted with several informants, on average, with knowledge of the Large Scale Social Restrictions policy. This level of understanding is manifested through daily behavior by following the provisions of the Large Scale Social Restrictions and implementing health protocols.


2021 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-34
Author(s):  
Andrzej Kozikowski ◽  
Sheila Mauldin ◽  
Colette Jeffery ◽  
Kasey Kavanaugh ◽  
Grady Barnhill ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Physician assistants (PAs) must pass the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certification exam to become licensed; and to remain certified, they must earn continuing medical education credits as well as pass an assessment every 10 years. However, there is a dearth of research on public knowledge of and beliefs regarding licensure, certification and medical education of PAs. Thus, we examined public knowledge and beliefs by conducting an online survey in late 2018. When asked if the statement “PAs must pass a national certifying exam as one requirement for obtaining an initial license to practice medicine” was true or false, the majority (75.9%) correctly indicated that the statement is true. Regarding beliefs, most respondents strongly agreed or agreed that PAs should be licensed by state medical boards (87.6%), should continually learn about new medical information (91.7%), should be assessed regularly on their medical knowledge (82.0%), should be held to the same standards of care as physicians (78.6%) and should be well-educated in medicine (77.7%). Evaluation of public knowledge and beliefs about licensure, certification and medical education of PAs is important, as members of the public are vital stakeholders for certification organizations and medical regulatory bodies. Certification organizations and medical regulatory bodies are accountable to the public, and periodic assessment of public perspectives can provide insight and help inform decision-making regarding regulatory and certification changes to meet patient expectations regarding safe, high-quality medical care.


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