Community-Based Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Towards COVID-19: an Epidemiological Survey in Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Zhino Rawf Ali; Bayan Omar Sharif; Aram Salih Mohammed Amin Kamali; Varin Tofiq Abbas; Azad Karim Ahmed; Shaho Osman Mahmood; Chiman Jamal ahmed; Sarwat Ahmed Abdulqader

doi:10.24017/science.2020.2.1

Authors

Zhino Rawf Ali Health Development and Training Center, Directorate of Health- Slemani Administration, Ministry of Health, Sulaimani, Iraq
Bayan Omar Sharif Health Development and Training Center, Directorate of Health- Slemani Administration, Ministry of Health
Aram Salih Mohammed Amin Kamali Planning Dept., Directorate of Health- Garmian Administration, Ministry of Health, Kalar, Sulaimani, Iraq
Varin Tofiq Abbas Infection Control Dept., Directorate of Health- Slemani Administration, Ministry of Health, Sulaimani, Iraq
Azad Karim Ahmed Cardiac Specialty Hospital, Directorate of Health- Slemani Administration, Ministry of Health, Sulaimani, Iraq
Shaho Osman Mahmood Surgical Teaching Hospital, Directorate of Health- Slemani Administration, Ministry of Health, Sulaimani, Iraq
Chiman Jamal ahmed Thalassemia and congenital blood disorders center, Directorate of Health- Slemani Administration, Ministry of Health, Sulaimani, Iraq
Sarwat Ahmed Abdulqader Dialysis Center, Directorate of Health- Slemani Administration, Ministry of Health, Sulaimani, Iraq

Abstract

Covid-19 considered as a pandemic disease and spread very rapidly, the people are needed to respond to this danger situation without becoming complacent because still there is no vaccine for it. The sample of this cross - sectional descriptive study was consisted of 1250 Kurdish male and female, their ages ranged between 14- 76 years. The main objective of the study is conducted to assess the people’s knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP study) toward COVID-19. The data were collected during the period of April 4 up to June 2020. A self- constructed questionnaire was used for data collection and it was designed according guidelines, literatures, and articles concerning COVID-19; which consisted of 40 variables. The researchers made google form for the questionnaire and distributed by local residents of Kurdistan region. Relying on the authors’ networks, and sent by (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram). Therefore, the data analyzed through the using of the (SPSS, version 23). A p value of ? 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The findings of the current study concluded that the main way for obtaining knowledge of the participants was social media and it was much more than ministry of health, WHO and CDC together. Also, the study indicated that the age group of 21-30 years old has a high score of knowledge and attitude while the age group of 31-40 years old has a high score of practical issues regarding COVID-19. As well as, the female employer by Bachelor degree with barely sufficient financial status in urban area had a high score of KAP concerning COVID-19, lastly the present study observed a strong positive correlation between KAP toward coronavirus among the participants. The study recommended to ministry of health and health sectors to present much more scientific healthy issues to improve the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the Kurdish citizens concerning coronavirus because the health care workers are much more dependable scientifically than social media toward COVID-19 to prevent rapid transmission and control this serious situation.

Keywords:

COVID19, Kurdistan region, knowledge, Attitude, Practices

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