Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Towards New Coronavirus (Sars-Cov-2) of Healthcare Workers During the Rapid Rise Period of the COVID-19 Outbreak

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of healthcare professionals towards the novel coronavirus during the rapid rise of the COVID-19 epidemic and to determine the mediating effect of attitude on the effect of knowledge level on practices. Hospital-based cross-sectional research design was used in the study. The population of the study consisted of the healthcare workers of Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, which provides secondary healthcare services, and Yedikule Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, which provides tertiary treatment, in Istanbul. Convenience sampling method was preferred in the study. The data were collected by the researchers themselves using the online questionnaire technique. The total number of questionnaires that were evaluated and used in the analysis of the data is 409. SPSS and AMOS package programs were used in the analysis of the data. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, ANOVA test and structural equation modeling were applied to the data. The findings obtained with the structural equation analysis showed that the construct validity of the model was provided. In addition, the path analysis revealed that the direct and indirect impact of knowledge level about COVID-19 on practices towards COVID-19 (mediated by attitude towards COVID-19) has an acceptable index of fit. A great majority of the healthcare workers had sufficient knowledge, a favorable attitude and good practices about sources, transmission, symptoms, signs, prognosis, treatment, management and preventive measures of COVID-19. The knowledge level about COVID-19 has both a direct and indirect impact on practices towards COVID-19 through the mediating role of attitude.