A cross-sectional study to assess knowledge, attitude and practice among healthcare workers regarding COVID-19 at a National Institute of North India

Sushil Kumar-Munjal; Megh Singh-Dhakad; Manoj Kumar; Sanjib Gogoi

doi:10.54034/mic.e1547

Authors

Sushil Kumar-Munjal Department of Tuberculosis & Respiratory Diseases, National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (NITRD), Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi, India.
Megh Singh-Dhakad State-Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL), Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad Medical College & Associated Lok Nayak Hospitals, New Delhi, India.
Manoj Kumar Department of Microbiology, Lady Hardinge Medical College & Associated Hospitals, New Delhi, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8792-1261
Sanjib Gogoi Department of Microbiology, Lady Hardinge Medical College & Associated Hospitals, New Delhi, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0213-6676

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54034/mic.e1547

Keywords:

attitude, COVID-19, knowledge, healthcare workers, practice

Abstract

Background and Objectives. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the frontline warriors of the battle against COVID-19 and are at high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among HCWs play a vital role in preventing and spreading COVID-19. Hence, the current study aimed to assess KAP among HCWs regarding COVID-19. Methods. This descriptive, cross-sectional study enrolled 171 HCWs of a national institute in North India. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess KAP among HCWs regarding COVID-19. Descriptive statistical analysis was applied to compare and represent the level of association of KAP scores among HCWs. Results. Among HCWs (n=171), 106 (61.98%) were males, and 65 (38.01%) were females. Most (n=76; 44.44%) belonged to the 20-29 age group. The mean±S.D score of HCWs for knowledge, attitude, and practice were 42.76±2.14, 28.91±1.59 and 20.38±1.46, respectively. Excellent knowledge, attitude, and practice score were found in 66.1%, 69.1%, and 97.1% of HCWs, respectively. Knowledge score was maximum in resident doctors (44.09±1.13); however, multi-tasking staff (29.35±1.44), laboratory technicians (29.31±1.21), and ward boys (29.29±1.59) had better attitude scores. Nurses (28.44±1.69) and safaikaramacharis (28.11±1.96) had low attitude scores. The practice score of nurses and multi-tasking staff fared well than resident doctors. Knowledge and attitude scores were statistically associated with the profession and higher level of education. Conclusion. The study highlights that most HCWs have good KAP regarding COVID-19. Continuous dissemination of education on the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 is advised among HCWs to improve their knowledge. Hence, it will strengthen the health workforce in the battle against COVID-19.

References

Cascella M, Rajnik M, Cuomo A et al. Features, evaluation and treatment coronavirus (COVID-19). Stat pearls (internet). Treasure Island (FL): Stat Pearls Publishing, Jan 2020.

Boncristiani HF, Criado MF, Arruda E. Respiratory Viruses. Encyclopedia of Microbiology. 2009;500–518. Available from: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/B978012373944500314X

Bhagavathula AS, Shehab A. The Story of Mysterious Pneumonia and the Response to Deadly Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV): So Far! New Emir Med J. 2020;1(1):7–10.

Bleibtreu A, Bertine M, Bertin C et al. Focus on Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Médecine Mal Infect. 2020;50(3):243–51.

Lai CC, Shih TP, Ko WC et al. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19): The epidemic and the challenges. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2020;55(3):105924.

World Health Organization (WHO). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Available at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Eurosurveillance editorial team. Note from the editors: World Health Organization declares novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) sixth public health emergency of international concern. Euro Surveill. 2020;25(5). https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.5.200131e

World Health Organization (WHO). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiological Update and Weekly Operational Update. Available at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports

Gralinski LE, Menachery VD. Return of the Coronavirus: 2019-nCoV. Viruses. 2020;24;12(2):135. doi: 10.3390/ v12020135.

Lauer SA, Grantz KH, Bi Q et al. The Incubation Period of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) From Publicly Reported Confirmed Cases: Estimation and Application. Ann Intern Med. 2020;172(9):577–82.

Backer JA, Klinkenberg D, Wallinga J. Incubation period of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infections among travellers from Wuhan, China, 20-28 January 2020. Euro Surveill Bull Eur Sur Mal Transm Eur Commun Dis Bull. 2020;25(5).

Singhal T. A Review of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19). Indian J Pediatr. 2020;87(4):281–6.

Guan W, Ni Z, Hu Y et al. Clinical Characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in China. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(18):1708–20. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2002032.

World Health Organization (WHO). Addressing Human Rights as Key to the COVID-19 Response:Parenting in the time of COVID-19. Available at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/healthy-parenting

Tregoning JS, Brown ES, Cheeseman HMet al. Vaccines for COVID‐19. Clin Exp Immunol. 2020;202(2):162–92. doi.org/10.1111/cei.13517.

Government of India (GOI). #IndiaFightsCorona COVID-19. Available at <https://www.mygov.in/covid-19>.

Bandyopadhyay S, Baticulon RE, Kadhum M et al. Infection and mortality of healthcare workers worldwide from COVID-19: a systematic review. BMJ Glob Health. 2020;5(12):e003097. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003097.

Gholami M, Fawad I, Shadan S et al. COVID-19 and healthcare workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Infect Dis. 2021;104:335–46. doi: 10.1016/ j.ijid.2021.01.013.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India (MoHFW). Available at https://www.google.com/search?q=mohfw&oq=mohfw&aqs=chrome.69i57j46i131i199i433i465i512j0i512l3j69i60l3.3312j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Feleke BT, Wale MZ, Yirsaw MT. Knowledge, attitude and preventive practice towards COVID-19 and associated factors among outpatient service visitors at Debre Markos compressive specialized hospital, north-west Ethiopia, 2020. PLoS One. 2021 Jul 15;16(7):e0251708. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251708. PMID: 34264940; PMCID: PMC8282282.

Olum R, Chekwech G, Wekha G et al. Coronavirus Disease-2019: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Health Care Workers at Makerere University Teaching Hospitals, Uganda. Front Public Health. 2020;8:181.

World Health Organization (WHO). Infection prevention and control during health care when novel coronavirus (nCoV) infection is suspected: interim guidance. 2020. Available at https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/10665-331495

Hussain I, Majeed A, Imran I et al. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Toward COVID-19 in Primary Healthcare Providers: A Cross-Sectional Study from Three Tertiary Care Hospitals of Peshawar, Pakistan. J Community Health. 2021;46(3):441–449. doi: 10.1007/s10900-020-00879-9.

Erfani A, Shahriarirad R, Ranjbar K et al. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice toward the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak: A Population-Based Survey in Iran. Bull World Health Organ. 2020;E-pub. 10.2471/ BLT.20.256651. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.20.256651.

Tsiga-Ahmed FI, Amole TG, Musa BM et al. COVID 19: Evaluating the Knowledge, Attitude and Preventive Practices of Healthcare Workers in Northern Nigeria. Int J MCH AIDS. 2021;10(1):88–97. doi: 10.21106/ijma.418.

Malik UR, Atif N, Hashmi FK et al. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Healthcare Professionals on COVID-19 and Risk Assessment to Prevent the Epidemic Spread: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study from Punjab, Pakistan. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17:6395. doi: 10.3390/ ijerph17176395.

Zhang M, Zhou M, Tang F et al. knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding COVID-19 among healthcare workers in Henan, China. J Hosp Infect. 2020;105(2):183–7. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.04.012.

Mushi A, Yassin Y, Khan A et al. Knowledge, Attitude, and Perceived Risks Towards COVID-19 Pandemic and the Impact of Risk Communication Messages on Healthcare Workers in Saudi Arabia. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2021;14:2811–24.

Almohammed OA, Aldwihi LA, Alragas AM et al. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Associated With COVID-19 Among Healthcare Workers in Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia. Front Public Health. 2021;9:643053.

Tamang N, Rai P, Dhungana S et al. COVID-19: a National Survey on perceived level of knowledge, attitude and practice among frontline healthcare Workers in Nepal. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):1905.

Haghighi KF, Kouhi P, Amini M et al. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Toward COVID-19 Among Healthcare Workers in Shiraz, Iran. Shiraz E-Med J. 2020;21(12).

Basnet S, Dahal S, Tamrakar D et al. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Related to COVID-19 among Healthcare Personnel in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Nepal: A Cross-sectional Survey. Kathmandu Univ Med J (KUMJ). 2020;18(70):21–28.

Maheshwari S, Gupta PK, Sinha R et al. knowledge, attitude, and practice towards coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among medical students: A cross-sectional study. J Acute Dis. 2020;9(3):100.

Le-An P, Huynh G, Nguyen HTN et al. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Towards COVID-19 Among Healthcare Students in Vietnam. Infect Drug Resist. 2021;14:3405–13.

Wahed WYA, Hefzy EM, Ahmed MI et al. Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perception of Health Care Workers Regarding COVID-19, A Cross-Sectional Study from Egypt. J Community Health. 2020;45(6):1242–51.

Asdaq SMB, Alshrari AS, Imran M et al. Knowledge, attitude and practices of healthcare professionals of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia towards covid-19: A cross-sectional study. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2021;28(9):5275–82.

Yang K, Liu H, Ma L et al. Knowledge, attitude and practice of residents in the prevention and control of COVID‐19: An online questionnaire survey. J Adv Nurs. 2021; 77(4): 1839–55. doi: 10.1111/jan.14718.

Singh A, Panika R, Surana A et al. Evaluation of knowledge and perceptions among medical undergraduate students toward novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Southern Haryana, India: A cross-sectional study. Indian J Health Sci Biomed Res KLEU. 2020;13(2):91.

Albahri AH, Alnaqbi SA, Alnaqbi SA et al. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding COVID-19 Among Healthcare Workers in Primary Healthcare Centers in Dubai: A Cross-Sectional Survey, 2020. Front Public Health. 2021; 9: 617679.

Khasawneh AI, Humeidan AA, Alsulaiman JW et al. Medical Students and COVID-19: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Precautionary Measures. A Descriptive Study From Jordan. Front Public Health. 2020;8:253. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00253.

Huynh G, Nguyen TH, Tran V et al. knowledge and attitude toward COVID-19 among healthcare workers at District 2 Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City. Asian Pac J Trop Med. 2020;13(6):260.

Alrubaiee GG, Al-Qalah TAH, Al-Aawar MSA. Knowledge, attitudes, anxiety, and preventive behaviours towards COVID-19 among health care providers in Yemen: an online cross-sectional survey. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):1541.