Abstract
Introduction: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted everyone, including students. Accurate information about the disease, its spread, preventive measures and government-issued advisories is critical for containing an outbreak. We evaluated the knowledge, attitudes and practices, and the key behavioural determinants of clinical outcomes, among university students. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among IIHMR University students (31 March to 10 April 2020), soon after the nationwide lockdown in India. Through purposive sampling, we enrolled 529 students, who completed a semi-structured questionnaire (44% completion rate). Knowledge level of the participants was assessed using a scoring system, and chi-squared test and t-test were performed to detect significant ( p < 0.05) differences among various groups. Results: More than 70 per cent of students had good knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, mode of transmission and preventive measures, and 66 per cent knew about treatment approaches. Social media (83%) and TV (77%) were their primary sources of information. Most students showed a willingness to follow social distancing and lockdown guidelines; however, only 27 per cent perceived the risk of infection. Nearly all students reported compliance with government health advisories. Conclusions: We evaluated COVID-19 awareness and impacts of various information sources on effective outbreak containment. Improved community engagement activities and effective communication are needed during widespread disease outbreaks.
Highlights
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted everyone, including students
Purposive sampling technique was applied to collect data from 529 students who were currently enrolled in the Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR) University
A total of 231 students participated in the study
Summary
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted everyone, including students. Accurate information about the disease, its spread, preventive measures and government-issued advisories is critical for containing an outbreak. Results: More than 70 per cent of students had good knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, mode of transmission and preventive measures, and 66 per cent knew about treatment approaches. Conclusions: We evaluated COVID-19 awareness and impacts of various information sources on effective outbreak containment. Since the first reported case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019, in Wuhan, China, it has quickly spread globally, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare it a Journal of Health Management 22(2). It is important to empower people by educating them and effectively communicating accurate information about the preventive measures (e.g., handwashing, covering one’s mouth while coughing or sneezing, maintaining social distancing and self-isolation)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
