Evaluation of Health Care Professionals' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice to Prevent the Pandemic Spread of COVID-19: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study from Abha, Saudi Arabia.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pharmacists and other healthcare professionals (HCPs) are at risk of transmitting the lethal COVID-19 virus globally and increasing its prevalence. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among HCPs in the Asir region for the first time. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional analysis with 491 healthcare professionals was tested using a pre-tested questionnaire in a tertiary care facility. The association between research variables and questions was determined using Chi-square tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS: Pharmacists and other HCPs exhibited good knowledge, a positive attitude, and a negative practice pattern regarding COVID-19. There was a strong association between knowledge and attitude (correlation coefficient 0.17; p < 0.001). However, healthcare practitioners had a suboptimal practice score of 2.09 ± 0.62 regarding COVID-19. CONCLUSION: This study discovered that despite relatively insufficient practices for adherence to recommended techniques regarding COVID-19 prevention during the outbreak, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals have a high level of awareness and a positive attitude towards COVID-19 as a medical condition. There is a need for more involved HCPs, improved COVID-19 management training, and approaches to make healthcare providers feel less anxious.