Development of the Malay Language of understanding, attitude, practice and health literacy questionnaire on COVID-19 (MUAPHQ C-19): content validity & face validity analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the content and face validity index of the development of the understanding, attitude, practice and health literacy questionnaire on COVID-19 (MUAPHQ C-19) in the Malay language. METHODS: The development of the MUAPHQ C-19 was conducted in two stages. Stage I resulted in the generation of the instrument's items (development), and stage II resulted in the performance of the instrument's items (judgement and quantification). Six-panel experts related to the study field and ten general public participated to evaluate the validity of the MUAPHQ C-19. The content validity index (CVI), content validity ratio (CVR) and face validity index (FVI) were analysed using Microsoft Excel. RESULTS: There were 54 items and four domains, namely the understanding, attitude, practice and health literacy towards COVID-19, identified in the MUAPHQ C-19 (Version 1.0). The scale-level CVI (S-CVI/Ave) for every domain was above 0.9, which is considered acceptable. The CVR for all items was above 0.7, except for one item in the health literacy domain. Ten items were revised to improve the item's clarity, and two items were deleted due to the low CVR value and redundancy, respectively. The I-FVI exceeded the cut-off value of 0.83 except for five items from the attitude domain and four from the practice domains. Thus, seven of these items were revised to increase the clarity of items, while another two were deleted due to low I-FVI scores. Otherwise, the S-FVI/Ave for every domain exceeded the cut-off point of 0.9, which is considered acceptable. Thus, 50-item MUAPHQ C-19 (Version 3.0) was generated following the content and face validity analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire development, content validity, and face validity process are lengthy and iterative. The assessment of the instruments' items by the content experts and the respondents is essential to guarantee the instrument's validity. Our content and face validity study has finalised the MUAPHQ C-19 version that is ready for the next phase of questionnaire validation, using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

Dairy industry employee knowledge, attitudes and practices in response to COVID -19 policies in Jordan

PurposeThis study examined the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of Jordanian dairy employees about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) characteristics and the effect of precautionary measures on food safety risk during the pandemic.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was conducted between Dec 17, 2020 and Feb 22, 2021, involving a total of 428 participants across 34 random chosen dairy facilities in Jordan. KAP related to COVID-19 were measured by 46 items, while 13 items were used to examine perceived notions regarding COVID-19 precautionary measures on food safety.FindingsThe results indicated that 32.2% of the respondents had sufficient knowledge, 60.3% had a good attitude, and 27.1% followed correct practices concerning COVID-19. Moreover, female respondents had higher total KAP scores of COVID-19 characteristics than males. Furthermore, older and more experienced respondents had higher total KAP scores than younger respondents. This study also observed that the total KAP scores were not affected by education, marital status, and job position. Characteristics and measures taken by the dairy industry were at large significantly associated with (p < 0.05) knowledge and practice of employees about COVID-19 attributes. Results of this study suggested that Jordanian dairy workers were not adequately aware about COVID-19.Originality/valueNo such study on dairy workers has been conducted previously to the best of the authors' knowledge. Moreover, studies which analyse the association of industry response and characteristics on the KAP of employees are very limited.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Towards COVID-19 Among Social Workers of Bangladesh

Abstract: This study intended to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) toward the pandemic among the social workers of Bangladesh. Approximately 94% of them faced challenges working during COVID-19. They lacked knowledge regarding COVID-19 (0.62 ± 0.25). They also did not show enough practice. Attitudes were better than knowledge and practices. Respondents' gender, location, having vulnerable people at the home, educational attainment, and experiencing COVID-19 symptoms before were significantly associated with the overall KAP. In general, COVID-19 preparedness and response campaigns, and effective education, are required to ensure the competence of pandemic responses among this vital group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Public Organization Review is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of radiology healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: Medical imaging is vital in the diagnostic workup and evaluation of patients suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19;hence, radiology healthcare workers (HCWs) were an essential part of the early containment response to the pandemic. Radiology services are facing rising demands to introduce stricter infection control measures, and staff are expected to adhere to the new protocols while coping with a surge in patients. Objective(s): This study aims to identify the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions (KAPs) of radiology HCWs at a single site with regard to workplace preparedness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method(s): A 26-item questionnaire was conducted with radiographers, radiology nurses, and support staff who had direct patient contact. Questions were concerned with involvement in managing suspected or positive COVID-19 patients, knowledge of infection control measures, and attitudes and perceptions in relation to working during the pandemic. Results were analysed using t-tests, chi-square tests, and Spearman's rank-order correlation, with statistical difference set at p<0.05. Result(s): Radiology HCWs self-reported significantly better knowledge of infection control measures and positive work attitudes. Those who had received the flu vaccine had significantly better perceptions of working during the pandemic. Suggested improvements included better organisational structure and more resources, better staff compliance and vigilance, better education, and a clearer focus on staff wellbeing. Conclusion(s): The findings indicate favourable KAPs among radiology HCWs in Singapore with regard to workplace preparedness during the pandemic, but efforts towards sustainability must be considered. Formulating policies to nurture motivated and resilient HCWs during a pandemic is advocated to foster a resilient workforce that is prepared for the next pandemic.Copyright © The Author(s) 2021.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward COVID-19: A cross-sectional study among university students in Lebanon

The health crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic has quickly evolved into an economic, cultural, and social crisis. Being an active entity in their communities, an evaluation of how much university students can contribute in raising awareness about the pandemic and in volunteering in their communities is deemed necessary. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward COVID-19 pandemic among university students in Lebanon. An anonymous online self-reported questionnaire was conducted in March 2020 and a total of 193 university students participated. Scores were used to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Our results showed that the majority of the Lebanese University students have a good knowledge and practice score (0.82 and 0.64 respectively). However, the attitude score was relatively low and reflects a high cue to action score and a low Ministry Of Public Health (MOPH) satisfaction score. In addition, the KAP scores significantly differed between students majoring in health-related fields vs students majoring in non-health-related fields. The source of knowledge was associated with its score (p-value =.002). Finally, the statistical analysis proved that the study matches the KAP model which demonstrates that knowledge influences the attitudinal statements while attitude influences practice toward COVID-19. This assessment of the students' understanding and awareness of the pandemic can help in the development of effective national strategies as well as envisage medium and long-term scenarios of preparedness. © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 among populations of Islamabad and Rawalpindi during lockdown: A cross-sectional survey

In Pakistan, the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported on 26 February 2020, having the travel history from Iran. Islamabad and Rawalpindi have also been affected by COVID-19 epidemic. On 23 March 2020, the Government of Pakistan has declared smart lockdown all over the country including Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The aim of the study was to identify the status of the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding COVID-19 among the general population of the twin cities (Islamabad and Rawalpindi) in Pakistan during the COVID-19 outbreak. A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted from 5 to 19 May 2020, the week during smart lockdown in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Demographic characteristics were compared with independent-samples t-test, one-way, or Chi-square test. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with low knowledge score. Data analyses were conducted with SPSS version 21.0. A total of 1,282 participants completed the questionnaire. Among this final sample, the average age was 30.65 years. Among the survey respondents, 680 (53%) were women, 1096 (86%) held a bachelor's degree or above, 634 (50%) were engaged with the government and private sector and 606 (47%) were married. The overall correct rate of knowledge was 70%. The majority of the respondents agreed that COVID-19 will finally be successfully controlled (59%). Most of the participants had not visited any crowded place (74%) and 95% responded that they have reduced their outdoor activities. In response to precaution measures, 86% stated that they would isolate themselves if they ever felt a fever or cough. The study findings suggest that residents of the two cities have reasonable levels of knowledge on COVID-19. However, it is necessary to launch health education and awareness campaigns to improve the knowledge and practices about COVID-19, to control its transmission. © 2022 The Author(s).

Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice towards COVID-19 among undergraduate students and its psychological impact on their life: A cross-sectional study

Background: The association between widespread outbreaks, such as COVID-19, and psychological distress and symptoms of mental illness is common. This study aimed to assess undergraduate students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward COVID-19 and its psychological impact on their life. Method(s): A cross-sectional study was done using a self-administered questionnaire. Result(s): The findings revealed that 11.9% of the participants had COVID-19, and 27.7% of their relatives contracted the disease. The overall rate of correct answers for the knowledge statements was 81.6%. Only 16.5% declared that COVID-19 had an extreme effect on their studies. However, 34% reported rarely or never having felt nervous or anxious during the pandemic. Conclusion(s): The findings revealed that undergraduate students have good knowledge and a positive attitude towards COVID-19, while their practice was poor. Also, the pandemic had a negative psychological impact on some students, thus the need for proactive psychological and social support for students.Copyright © 2023 FIP.

COVID-19 pandemic and psychological fatigue in Turkey.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and psychological fatigue as a mental health issue among the population of Istanbul, Turkey. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Istanbul, Turkey, between March and June 2020, where a total of 4,700 persons were approached and 3,672 (78%) of participants (64.4% males and 35.6% females) completed the Knowledge Attitude Practices (KAP) and Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) questionnaires. RESULTS: In this study, 64.1% of participants were categorized as psychologically fatigued and 35.9% as normal. There was a significant difference between fatigued and normal participants with respect to age, educational level, occupational status, place of residence and number of family members (p < .001). Other differences related to knowledge of COVID-19 were symptoms, treatment, ways of spreading (p < .001), prevention by avoiding crowded places (p = .008) and isolation (p = .002). For attitudinal items, normal participants generally showed more positive attitudes than the fatigued in believing that COVID-19 will finally be controlled, satisfaction with preventive measures taken by the authorities, reporting suspected cases with symptoms and trusting that Turkey can overcome the COVID-19 pandemic (p < .001). Multivariate stepwise regression analysis indicated that level of education, avoiding going to crowded places, eye, nose and mouth organs are sensitive organs to the virus, keeping physical distance due to epidemic affect by COVID-19 virus, isolation and treatment of people reduce the spread of COVID-19 virus and 14-days period of time, COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through contact with the respiratory droplets of an infected person, occupational status, health education programme needed and antibody treatment variables were significantly associated with fatigue after adjusting for age, gender and income variables. CONCLUSION: The current study provides valuable information for policymakers and mental health professionals worldwide regarding associations between the mental health of individuals and the ongoing outbreak, COVID-19.

Undergraduate health sciences students' response regarding COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic represents a major health problem, and its influences may persist with emerging viral variants. The current work was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and learning satisfaction of health sciences students (HSS) regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 20 February 2021 to 20 March 2021. Participants were undergraduate HSS at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire has been generated and distributed via online form. The questionnaire used was based on previous studies and included demographic information and knowledge, attitudes, perception, and learning satisfaction related to the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Out of the 400 questionnaires distributed to eligible students, the current study included a total of 330 HSS (82.5% response rate) from colleges of medicine (25.5%), dentistry (11.8%), pharmacy (33.6%), and Applied Medical Sciences (29.1%) of participants. The mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and learning satisfaction attained by students were 5.63 ± 0.65 out of 6, 4.22 ± 1.01 out of 5, and 11.28 ± 2.9 out of 19, respectively. Results show an association between the knowledge score of students and their age-group and specialty-college. Students with chronic diseases reported lower attitude scores and rate of COVID-19 vaccine-willingness. Younger HSS had a higher learning satisfaction score than the older participants. CONCLUSION: Overall, participants show high knowledge level and positive attitude toward COVID-19 but fair learning satisfaction during the pandemic. Further studies are needed to improve the learning satisfaction and attitude of HSS in the future.

The knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions toward the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine amongst Primary Health care workers in North-Central Trinidad.

Aim: To determine the effects of knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of primary care health workers toward receiving the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine in North Central, Trinidad. Methods: A pretested de novo questionnaire containing forty-eight (48) closed ended questions and one (1) open ended question was used to gather data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data obtained from the questionnaire. These included percentages, means and standard deviations for the descriptive aspect and the Chi-Square test to examine any significant associations. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to assess any significant differences in means among several categories and the independent samples t-test for assessing any significant difference in means between two categories. Results: 273 respondents completed the questionnaire. Most of the participants (72.2%) were female and within the age range 25-36 (56.0%). The mean knowledge score about the AstraZeneca vaccine was 16.28 (SD = 2.28) out of 19 with an overall correct response rate of 79%. 30.4% of participants had a good attitude score and 59.7% had a positive perception toward the AstraZeneca vaccine. There were significant associations between knowledge and marital status (p = 0.001), income level (p = 0.001), education level (p < 0.001), and length of employment (p = 0.041); attitudes and sex (p = 0.01), age (p = 0.04), marital status (p = 0.009), income level (p < 0.001), education level (p = 0.005) and category of staff (p < 0.001); perception and sex (p = 0.002), marital status (p = 0.027), income level (p < 0.001), and category of staff (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The main contributors to vaccine hesitancy were inadequate duration of clinical trials and fear of adverse side effects. A significant number of participants (17%) were unwilling to get the vaccine due to lack of information.

Survey on public awareness, attitudes and self-protective behavior adoption in different periods of COVID-19.

Introduction: The outbreak and spread of the pandemics have been an issue of critical concern globally, posing a significant threat to the health sector globally. This study aimed to examine the basic knowledge and attitudes toward the recommended protective measures at different times, respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and provide recommendations for developing targeted strategies and measures for preventing and controlling public health emergencies. Methods: The study used self-filled questionnaires to examine the public's knowledge, attitudes, and practices on COVID-19 at two different period, from 20 to 31 March 2020 (the beginning period) and 22-27 April 2022 (the regular epidemic prevention and control period). Descriptive and quantitative analyses were used for statistical analysis. Results and discussion: The survey collected 2375 valid questionnaires. A comparison of the two periods reveals that as the epidemic continued over a long period, the level of knowledge, attitudes toward preventive measures, risk perceptions, and adoption behavior of the respondents at the beginning of the epidemic were significantly higher than during the regular epidemic prevention and control period. With the upsurge in the spread of the epidemic, the public needs a multi-channel, targeted, and all-round guidance and information on prevention and control of the COVID-19, and internalizes knowledge into individual's behavior of actively responding to diseases.When the epidemic lasts for a long time, the relevant agencies should strengthen their monitoring role to promote public compliance with the recommended measures.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Related to COVID-19 and Its Determinants Among Prisoners, Southern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may affect anybody, and prisoners are a susceptible group in terms of the risk of contracting infectious illnesses owing to a variety of situations such as overcrowding, confinement, and poor cleanliness. Therefore, this study aimed to assess prisoners' Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of COVID-19 and its determinants in southern Ethiopia. METHOD: The Institutional cross-section study was conducted among 404 prisoners selected using simple random sampling obtained from the prisoner's registration book. To collect data from prisoners, an interviewer-based face-to-face data-collecting technique was used. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression was used to identify determinants of KAP toward COVID-19. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the prisoners had limited understanding and poor preventive strategies application toward COVID-19. Being male, living in a rural area, having a low educational standing, and being a farmer were related to limited knowledge, negative attitude, and poor practice toward COVID-19. Furthermore, having little understanding was linked with poor practice toward COVID-19. As a result, the focus should be on convicts, creating awareness, and addressing specific socioeconomic features of prisoners, as well as boosting COVID-19 preventive activities that should get attention in the prison.

How do attitudes shape protective practices against the Asian tiger mosquito in community gardens in a nonendemic country?

BACKGROUND: The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is responsible for the transmission of many arboviruses worldwide and is well adapted to thrive in urban environments. In mainland France, a nonendemic area, this mosquito is responsible for several autochthonous and imported cases of chikungunya and dengue each year. Better management and prevention of mosquito-borne disease transmission in nonendemic areas is thus of global concern. In this context, the aim of this study was to provide a better understanding of mosquito-human interactions as well as human behavior and beliefs in regard to this mosquito species in urban areas. METHODS: We focused on people who participate in community gardens, which are increasingly popular initiatives in metropolitan France and are conducive to the development of tiger mosquitoes. To evaluate community gardeners' knowledge and practices in relation to mosquito management and control, we conducted a knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) survey. RESULTS: In contrast to previous KAP studies, we showed that attitudes, more than knowledge, influence the practices of community gardeners in relation to mosquitoes. Interestingly, all gardeners who participated in the survey were concerned about the Asian tiger mosquito and were motivated to incorporate mosquito control methods in their gardens. Moreover, mosquitoes were perceived as nuisances rather than disease vector species. A change in community gardeners' perceptions could facilitate more appropriate behavior to control this species. CONCLUSIONS: This survey reveals the lack of knowledge and awareness of good practices for the efficient control of the Asian tiger mosquito in green urban areas.

Study on college students' willingness to inoculate COVID-19 vaccine based on bioinformatics and KAP analysis.

Bioinformatics is a subject that analyzes and interprets the collection, processing, storage and dissemination of biological information, and explores biological problems by using information technology and related means. The outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia has been nearly three years. With the advancement of vaccine research and development in various countries, mass vaccination is bound to usher in a new turning point for epidemic control. China's policy of free vaccination for the new coronavirus vaccine will undoubtedly improve the vaccination rate, however, the vaccination rate still depends on people's will. This paper takes college students as the main research object. In the context of bioinformatics analysis, a questionnaire survey was conducted based on their knowledge, attitudes, and practice levels of COVID-19 vaccines. The results vividly illustrate five conclusions. Firstly, the reliability of information sources positively affected college students' cognitive level, degree of trust and inoculation intention of COVID-19 vaccination. Secondly, the professional degree of media positively affected college students' degree of trust and inoculation intention behavior of COVID-19 vaccine. Thirdly, the cognitive level and degree of trust about COVID-19 vaccine positively affected college students' intention behavior of COVID-19 vaccine vaccination. Fourthly, the positivity of information positively affected the willingness of college students to vaccinate against COVID-19 vaccine. Fifthly, there were significant differences in the willingness and behavior of college students with different genders in COVID-19 vaccination. Finally, three suggestions are given to improve college students' willingness to vaccinate against the coronavirus and to cope with similar incidents in the future.

Mpox Perceptions and Vaccine Advocacy among the Healthcare Workers of Solid Organ Transplant Centers: A Multicenter, Cross-Sectional Survey in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: In response to the global Mpox outbreaks, this survey aimed to assess the knowledge, perceptions, and advocacy of Mpox vaccines among solid organ transplant healthcare workers (HCWs) in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among solid organ transplant HCWs in Saudi Arabia from 15 August to 5 September 2022. A total of 199 responses were received from participants primarily working in the kidney (54.8%) and liver (14.6%) transplant units. RESULTS: The survey found that most participants were aware of the 2022 Mpox outbreak, but the majority were more concerned about COVID-19 than Mpox. While the majority of participants thought laboratory personnel and HCWs in direct contact with Mpox patients should receive the vaccine, less than 60% believed that all HCWs should be vaccinated. Additionally, over half of the participants lacked knowledge of animal-human transmission of the virus. CONCLUSION: The results highlight the need for increased education on Mpox among transplant HCWs in Saudi Arabia, particularly regarding the virus's transmission dynamics and vaccines. This education is crucial to improve HCWs' understanding of this emerging disease, especially given their vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection Anxiety, Knowledge and Attitudes in University Degree Pregnant Women from Romania-A Cross-Sectional Observational Survey in the First Two Pandemic Years.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic had a high economic cost, morbidity, and death toll. Due to high rates of mortality and morbidity from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), pregnant women were at particular risk during this pandemic. We designed and conducted a cross-sectional observational survey in Romanian pregnant women to evaluate the outcome of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic along with the preventive measures taken by authorities. We applied a 43-item questionnaire. We included 147 women over 18 years old from Romania who were pregnant or gave birth between March 2020 and March 2022. All pregnancies were monitored, most of them by a gynecologist, and only 23% faced rescheduled pregnancy visits. The majority (84%) were screened through the TORCH panel, 95.91% felt anxious because of the pandemic, 87% followed SARS-CoV2 preventive recommendations, and 82% were not infected with the coronavirus. Additionally, 80% were vaccinated against COVID-19. They felt the consequences of the pandemic through anxiety, and their level of anxiety influenced their vaccination decisions, the TORCH testing and the method of giving birth despite the level of education. Fortunately, their pregnancies were monitored properly, and there were no consequences noticed for fetuses at birth.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward seasonal influenza vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic among students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences-Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Annual influenza vaccine is recommended among health professionals especially, health science undergraduates; although, studies suggest that there is a low level of vaccine coverage among health care undergraduates. Thus, the study aimed to investigate students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the seasonal influenza vaccine at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional, unicentral study was carried out during the period of April to November 2021. A total of 341 validated questionnaires that included four sections were distributed in all four different colleges of KSAU-HS. Data management and analyses were carried out using Statistical Software for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. RESULTS: Out of 341 respondents, 336 participants completed the full survey (98.53% completion rate). The majority of participants were males (67.6% and the most participants were from the college of medicine (60.4%). The mean knowledge score of students was found to be (11.3 ± 2.0) out of 14 points. The most common barrier to vaccination among healthcare students was not having enough time to take the vaccine (23.8%), while the second one was the COVID-19 pandemic (22.32%). The vaccination rate in 2020 was 103 (30.7%), while 235 (80.4%) students stated that they have received the vaccine previously. School/work requirements and the student's awareness of the vaccine's importance were the most common reasons for taking the influenza vaccine. CONCLUSION: Even though students showed a high level of knowledge and a positive attitude towards the influenza vaccine, they generally had a low level of vaccine uptake. To enhance immunization rates, we encourage vaccine campaigns in all healthcare colleges. Further studies are needed to identify influences on students' attitudes and practices regarding influenza vaccination.

Perception and Attitude Towards COVID-19 Vaccination Among the Elderly: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction COVID-19 is one of the most formidable obstacles that humanity has encountered in this century. The death rate was high among the elderly in India; therefore, getting the elderly vaccinated was one of the most important things to do. Objective We conducted this study to assess the perception and attitude about the COVID-19 vaccines among the elderly population. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted at Fatehpur Beri, New Delhi. We selected 108 participants using systematic random sampling. We used a semi-structured questionnaire to collect the data. Results Out of 108 participants, 52.8% were men. Among them, 9.3% of participants had tested positive before. The average number of days of illness among the participants was 5.3 (SD + 3.5). Males had a higher average day of illness (5.5, SD +3.7) than females (4.9, SD +3.3). Among those who had not been vaccinated, 73.3% of participants said they would receive the vaccine, 6.7% were unsure, and 20% were not willing to receive the vaccine. Conclusion COVID vaccination in an elderly population showed a relatively high vaccine acceptance rate, and the willingness to get the vaccine was also high among the unvaccinated.

Perceived Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) and Fear toward COVID-19 among Patients with Diabetes Attending Primary Healthcare Centers in Kuwait.

OBJECTIVES: To assess perceived fear and to evaluate the level of knowledge, attitude, and prevention practices (KAP) regarding COVID-19 infection among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) attending primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in Kuwait. This will help evaluate gaps and provide appropriate support to limit the spread of COVID-19 infection in high-risk patients. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire. All patients aged 18 years or older attending for follow-up or newly diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes were eligible to participate in the study. Patients waiting for their regular follow-up appointments at the PHCs were invited verbally to take part in the study. The study excluded patients under the age of 18 and those with significant cognitive or physical impairment that might interfere with independent self-care behavior. The questionnaire included 57 items. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A total of 294 questionnaires were distributed to patients at PHCs in three health districts (Hawally, Capital, and Farwaniya) in Kuwait; 251 patients agreed to participate in the study, yielding a response rate of 85.4%. The study showed that most patients had moderate knowledge (71.1%) of COVID-19. The majority of correctly responded questions were about the mode of COVID-19 transmission, the most common clinical presentations, and at-risk people. On the other hand, 83.7% (n = 210) identified common cold symptoms (stuffy nose, runny nose, and sneezing) as COVID-19 symptoms. More than half of the patients (n = 146, 58.2%) were unable to identify uncommon COVID-19 symptoms, such as diarrhea and skin rash or discoloration. Most patients had a positive attitude (90.9%) and good prevention practices (83.6%). The overall fear score of the participating patients was 21.6 ± 6.5 (61.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the positive attitude and good preventive practices of the patients, they had moderate knowledge levels about COVID-19. This indicates that there are significant knowledge gaps that still need to be filled. Different strategies can be used for this purpose, such as social media and public information campaigns. Supporting psychological well-being is vital for at-risk patients during a pandemic.

Knowledge, attitudes, practice of people toward the COVID-19 pandemics, and its impact in Afghanistan.

COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the social and economic norms. Knowledge, Attitude and Practices studies are used to address the information gap for further strategic decision making to control the pandemic. This study aimed to find the level of Knowledge, Awareness, Attitudes, and behavioral practices of the people of Afghanistan about the COVID-19 and its impact on health and socio-economic dimension of their routine lives. We used a cross-sectional method with two stage sampling design. Data analysis was performed using SPSS v.20. The survey focused on adults including men and women all over the country to represent the country, including the urban and rural areas. Most of the respondents are in the age group of 21-30 years (46.5%); 60.15% of the participants are married. Almost 75% of females and 84% of males were literate and most participants have a bachelor's degree (34%). More than 80% of participants knew they can prevent themselves from contacting COVID-19 through hand washing frequently with soap and water and wearing a mask. More than 80% of participants responded that they would go for a lab test for detection of the virus as well as COVID-19 vaccination if it is available. Almost 35% reported always wearing a mask to prevent COVID-19 transmission; more than half of participants always wash their hands, more than 60% of them do not touch their eyes, nose, and mouth frequently. Nearly 60% of participants indicated that their household had problems satisfying food needs partly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly half of participants believed that the government was successful in applying lockdown measures and in awareness rising (56.8 and 69.8%). The study findings provide some useful insight about the KAP of communities in Afghanistan, which could assist policy makers in public health to design and implement interventions based on the information gaps reported.