Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Indian medical students and health-care providers on COVID-19: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 has created fear, misconception, and apprehensions among not just the public but also the present and future health-care providers. The COVID-19 pandemic has passed two waves, and currently, the third wave is waning. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 among the health-care providers and medical students of India. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational study conducted with medical students, practicing doctors, nurses, ward attendants, and other health-care workers working all over India. The questionnaire used for the study was developed using the three-step modified Delphi method. It was prevalidated and standardized by conducting a pilot study. Then, the survey questionnaire was circulated via Google Forms. The collected responses were tested statistically by Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Chi-square, and Spearman's rank correlation. Results: A total of 2211 (1137 medical students, 840 doctors, 126 nurses, 12 ward attendants, and 96 other health-care workers) respondents participated in the study. The mean score for knowledge was 5.93 ± 1.21, for attitude was 5.20 ± 0.84, and for practice was 2·38 ± 0·896. We found a significant positive correlation between knowledge and attitude, knowledge and practices, and attitude and practices. Conclusion: There is an average to a good level of knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 among the medical students and health-care providers in India in the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The positive correlation affirms that better knowledge can lead to a positive attitude. This ultimately helps build appropriate behavior.