Knowledge, Attitude And Perception Research Articles

A comparative study on perception and use of generic drugs between public and private health practitioners.

The perception of generic drugs may vary significantly between government and private doctors because physicians in the private sector have more prescribing choices and flexibility. Hence, this study was undertaken to analyse the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) of government and private physicians on generic drugs. This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study conducted among physicians working in public and private health sectors. The questionnaire had 25 closed-ended questions related to the KAP of generic medicine. The overall scores were categorised using Bloom's cut-off point. The Chi-square or Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare the differences between the two groups. About 80% of the participants in both groups agreed that generic medicines contain the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs, are less expensive and are available in the Indian market. Nearly 84% of government physicians and only 64% of private physicians believed that generic medicines are just as effective and secure as branded medicines (P - 0.003). The majority of physicians from both groups concurred that there is a lack of quality check in generic drug manufacturing, and they require more information about bioequivalence studies. In both categories, about 75% of participants preferred generic medications for their patients. However, in both groups, more than 50% of physicians were concerned about therapeutic failure and expressed reluctance to prescribe generic medications in life-threatening situations. Knowledge and acceptance of generic drugs regarding efficacy, safety, bioequivalence and therapeutic failure are low among both government and private physicians.

Uyo Farmers’ Knowledge, Attitude and Perception (KAP) of Broadcast Media Reports on Soil Contamination

This study was conducted to investigate the Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception (KAP) of farmers in Uyo regarding broadcast media reports on soil contamination. A survey sample of 384 respondents took part in the study. The research assessed the level of awareness among farmers concerning soil contamination as conveyed through broadcast media, as well as their attitudes towards such information and overall perceptions of the issue. Findings showed that Uyo farmers were familiar with the concept of soil contamination. This suggests that the majority of them have been exposed to information about soil contamination through mass media sources. Broadcast media reports on soil contamination provide accurate and reliable information to farmers. Uyo farmers rated broadcast media source of information about soil contamination and agricultural practices as trustworthy. The study recommended that broadcast media reports should be presented in the local language(s) spoken by Uyo farmers and should be tailored to their cultural context. This approach enhances comprehension and receptiveness, fostering a deeper understanding of soil contamination issues and solutions.

Media Activities and Telecommunications Consumers’ Awareness of Their Rights

This study assessed how Nigerian Communications Commission’s media activities helped to create meaningful positive awakening on the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) of telecoms users’ rights among mobile phone users in Calabar, Nigeria. It adopted the descriptive survey research method and used Perception Theory and Uses and Gratifications Theory to lend theoretical support to it. Out of 400 copies of a questionnaire distributed, 385 were retrieved. Findings included that NCC’s media activities on telecoms users’ rights were intensive and helped to create positive awakening on the knowledge of telecoms users’ rights in Calabar, thus leading them to exhibit positive attitude and perception towards the overall awareness campaign on their rights. It was recommended that NCC should carry out more independent studies in other localities across Nigeria with a view to ascertaining the extent of telecoms consumers’ knowledge of their rights, particularly among rural dwellers.

Knowledge, Attitude and Perception about Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting System among Pharmacy Students in Bangladesh

Inadequate resources and a fragmented healthcare system in Bangladesh lead to the practice of almost non-reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADR). Pharmacists may offer service in this regard to strengthen pharmacovigilance if given the appropriate opportunity. To evaluate their preparedness, the current cross-sectional study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) of pharmacy students about the ADR reporting system. A validated self-administered and structured questionnaire was filled out online upon informed consent by 400 final-year and master-level participants from 22 public and private universities. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS, v.23.0) and Microsoft Excel. The average knowledge score of the students came out as 2.93 (SD=0.6) out of 5. While fundamental knowledge regarding ADR was displayed well by the participants such as agreeing to ‘side effects and ADRs are different’ (85%), advanced conceptual understanding exhibited lacking. For example, variable like ‘distinguishing between ADR and an adverse drug event’, ‘not all ADRs are known before a drug is marketed’, and ‘before ADR reporting, drug’s association needs no confirmation’ showed 14%, 41% and 5% correctness, respectively. However, 98% of the participants emphasized the need for ADR reporting, in both serious and non-serious cases, 85% knew that anybody can report ADR and approximately the same percentage of students could identify the organization receiving reports. Less than half (47%) were familiar with the authorized ADR reporting form and 40% reportedly claimed that they knew when and how to report. The need for more relevant education about this was supported by most of the students (91.8%). Participants mostly agreed about the need for reporting and gaining more overall awareness about the ADR reporting procedure. The findings suggest that increased knowledge, training, assertiveness and practice among all stakeholders are necessary for a spontaneous ADR reporting system in the country. Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 22(1): 21-28, 2023 (June)

Knowledge, attitude and perception of optometrists in Trinidad and Tobago towards teleoptometry

BackgroundThe limited accessibility of in-person optometry services during the coronavirus disease 2019 highlighted the need for teleoptometry but no data exists to substantiate the foregoing in Trinidad & Tobago (T&T). The study assessed the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) of optometrists toward teleoptometry in T&T. MethodsThis cross-sectional study utilized a convenient sampling technique to administer a structured, web-based survey to all registered optometrists in T&T between March and June 2021. Information on demographics and KAP of teleoptometry were collected. Descriptive statistics (mean, percentages, and standard deviations) were used to describe the characteristics of respondents. The mean scores for the main outcomes (KAP) were compared between the categorical groups of the demographic variables, using a one-way analysis of variance. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. ResultsOf the 116 registered optometrists in T&T, 63 responded to the survey (response rate, 54.3%), and were mostly women (44, 69.8%), aged 21–30 years (42, 66.7%), worked in urban regions (41, 65.1%), and half of them (32, 50.8%) had practiced optometry for five or more years. More than two-thirds of the optometrists (76.4%) reported that they had never provided teleoptometry services, and only a few (2, 3.2%) had training on teleoptometry. The percentage mean scores for knowledge were significantly lower than attitude (38.5 ± 17.9% vs 78.2 ± 29.9%; P = 0.002) and perception (46.2 ± 11.4%; P < 0.001) scores, all of which were significantly lower among self-employed than employed optometrists (P < 0.02, for all three variables). While men and non-professional computer users had higher mean scores for attitude than women (3.03 [95%CI: 2.14, 3.93] vs 2.31 [95%CI: 1.41, 3.21], P = 0.037) and professional users (3.15 [95%CI: 2.07, 4.24] vs 2.18 [95%CI: 1.12, 3.24], P = 0.001), knowledge and perception scores varied significantly with practitioners’ years of experience (P = 0.042) and age (P = 0.041), respectively. ConclusionThe findings of the study suggest that although there was limited knowledge of teleoptometry among the participants, particularly the self-employed and the less experienced optometrists, most of them had good attitudes and perceptions toward teleoptometry. To fill the identified knowledge gap, there is a need for teleoptometry training among optometrists in T&T.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions towards COVID-19 Vaccinations: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Pakistan

Background and Objectives: Several vaccines have been approved for the prevention of the coronavirus disease, discovered on 31 December in Wuhan, China. Pakistan procured vaccines from various countries. However, the lack of knowledge and reluctance of the general population to embrace the use of the vaccines are considered to be the major determinant of the slow vaccination rate. Hence, it is necessary to evaluate the willingness of the general population about their perception of the COVID-19 vaccination. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional survey based on a self-structured questionnaire comprising 18 questions was conducted (from 21 April-21 June) on 400 Pakistani participants to evaluate their knowledge, attitude, and perception towards the COVID-19 vaccination. Chi-square independent t-test and one-way Anova including a multiple step wise linear regression were used to draw conclusions about the results. p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 400 participants responded in the knowledge, attitude, and perception (KAP) survey of which 46.5% were female and 53.5% were male. The mean age of participants was 36.08 years. This survey showed a poor knowledge (50.5%), a fair attitude (75.1%) and a poor perception (58.1%) towards the COVID-19 vaccination. Higher mean knowledge and attitude scores were reported in the age group 21-40, females, and unmarried urban citizens. Regression analysis showed that age, education, residence, and employment status influenced the knowledge and perception score to a considerable extent. Conclusions: The findings reflect an inadequate knowledge and perception on the one hand, but a better attitude towards the COVID-19 vaccination. This knowledge attitude and perception (KAP) survey will help in better understanding the opinion of the general population towards vaccination, and will be useful for policy makers and health care authorities aiming to increase the vaccination rate.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Perception of Mosquito Control in Different Citizenship Regimes within and Surrounding the Malakasa Open Accommodation Refugee Camp in Athens, Greece.

The study aims to evaluate the Knowledge, Attitude and Perception (KAP) of different societal groups concerning the implementation of targeted community-based mosquito surveillance and control interventions in different citizenship regimes. Targeted surveys were carried out within Malakasa camp for migrants and refugees, neighboring residential areas and urban areas in the wider Athens metropolitan area to investigate different knowledge levels and the role that both local and migrant communities can play in the implementation of community-based interventions based on their attitudes and perceptions. A scoring system was used to rate the collected responses. Results indicate different levels of KAP among the various groups of respondents and different priorities that should be considered in the design and execution of community interventions. Findings indicate a lower level of Knowledge Attitudes and Perceptions for the migrants, while the rate of correct answers for Perception significantly improved for migrants following a small-scale information session. The study highlights disparities in the levels of knowledge for certain public health issues and the feasibility of certain approaches for alleviating health-related challenges such as mosquito-borne diseases. Findings suggest that essential preparedness is needed by public authorities to respond to public health challenges related to migration and the spread of vector-borne diseases.

Knowledge, attitude and perception of health care providers and their patients regarding “Telemedicine” for otorhinolaryngeal care during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: Telemedicine aids health care facilities in implementing response on otorhinolaryngeal care during the pandemic while also maintaining provision for essential health services. This study was taken up to highlight perception of doctors and patients and implementation benefit and drawbacks of telemedicine, despite the continuous effort to help reduce ailments of the patients via reduction in the in-person care during pandemic. Objectives were to assess knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) among doctors and patients regarding telemedicine during COVID-19 pandemic. To determine the gaps and challenges experienced by the health care providers and the patients by telemedicine consultation.Methods: Cross sectional study conducted among the 18 doctors and house surgeons in department of otorhinolaryngology, KIMS Bhubaneswar and 486 patients who availed telemedicine for consultation from these health care professionals. A semi structured, mixed questionnaire was used. First phase of study was when patient contacted the doctor over phone, second was when doctor called up the patient for follow up and third was when both the doctors and patients were contacted to take their feedback on the study and assess their KAP on telemedicine. Data was analysed using SPSS-23 and Pearson’s correlation was used to determine any association.Results: 81%, 78.5% and 65.2% HCPs had good knowledge, attitude and perception score regarding telemedicine while among the patients the scores for good knowledge, attitude and perception were 42%, 21.4%, 15.4%, respectively. 88% HCPs and 84.8% patients were satisfied with e-health and were willing to continue this technology.Conclusions: The traditional clinic consultation has been modified during the pandemic to prevent and control transmission of the infection though it has both merits and demerits.

Knowledge, Attitude and Perception of Pharmacovigilance Awareness among Interns at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital, Andhra Pradesh, India

Introduction: Pharmacovigilance plays an important role in the healthcare sector, in terms of health and economic burden. Studies on interns are limited and it is an aspect that requires further study. Aim: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude and perception of MBBS interns at a teaching hospital in southern India. Also to study the reasons for under-reporting of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR). Materials and Methods: This questionnaire-based, crosssectional study was conducted among the 112 MBBS interns at Konaseema Institute of Medical sciences and Research Foundation, Amalapuram, Andhra Pradesh, India, in December 2013. The interns were asked to complete 25 predesigned questionnaire based on the Knowledge, Attitude and Perception (KAP). The answered questionnaires were statistically analysed by using Microsoft Excel worksheet. Results: Out of total 112 MBBS interns, only 94 completed the questionnaire within the stipulated time. There were 41 males and 53 females, with a mean age of 25±2 years. The response rate was 83.9%. A 48 (51.1%) interns had come across Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) cases during their practice, however, among them only 24 (50%) reported them. Difficulty to identify the causative drug was the major cause for under-reporting as per 23 (24.4%) interns. Majority (60.6%) were of the opinion that pharmacovigilance only covers drug-related side-effects, not other types of side-effects. Conclusion: Interns are the upcoming doctors, hence increased attention must be paid to their lack of pharmacovigilance knowledge in order to improve the clinical management and rational use of drugs.

Knowledge, Attitude and Perception towards COVID-19 Pandemic among Veterinary Professionals and Impacts: A Cross-Sectional Nationwide-Based Survey

This study evaluated the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) towards COVID-19 pandemic control among veterinarians in Nigeria. A nation-wide web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted. Information on KAP towards the COVID-19 pandemic was gathered (April 23 and May 31, 2020) and multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify associated factors. A total of 368 veterinarians participated in the study. The majority of respondents were males (72.8%), between the ages of 30–39 years (39.7%). Generally, respondents displayed a good level of knowledge about COVID-19 (72.4% ± 9.9%, range 44.1–91.2%), while the general attitude level was poor (65.4% ± 10.8, range 35.3–94.1%). Various determinants for good attitude among respondents were: if they were above 60 years old (aOR = 4.49, 95% CI: 1.379–14.594, p = 0.013), possessed postgraduate qualification (aOR = 1.63, 95 CI: 1.045–2.553, p = 0.031), worked over 30 years post DVM (aOR = 5.63, 95% CI: 1.966–16.100, p = 0.001), had household members between five and 10 (aOR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.130–2.641, p = 0.012), and if respondents’ residence was on total lockdown (aOR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.070–2.590, p = 0.024). The pandemic had moderate impacts on social, financial and physical status of the participants. Stricter policy measures and educational programs should be implemented to keep veterinarians and the populace informed about the best practices recommended for COVID-19 management.

Prevalence of scabies among secondary school students in Anambra State, Nigeria

Scabies has been listed as one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases. Therefore, this study aimed at estimating the prevalence of Scabies among Secondary School Students in Anambra State, Nigeria. A survey of Scabies infection was conducted in fifty (50) randomly selected secondary schools in the three geographical zones of Anambra State, Nigeria. A well-structured questionnaire was employed to elucidate information on age, sex and also on knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP). Focus group discussions, direct clinical observations and microscopic examinations using the skin scraping test method for the confirmation of scabies infestation were also employed. Data analysis was done using a statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 23 and Microsoft Excel version 16. Out of the five thousand (5000) students examined 500 (10.0%) were identified as positive from the research works, the sex-specific prevalent rate showed that 209 out of the 3000 females (6.97%) were positive while 291 out of the 2000 males (14.55%) were positive. The age-specific prevalence showed that age groups 10 to 12 years had the highest prevalence rate (29.0%) and 9.6% in both the male and female students respectively. The infectivity rate among urban and rural schools showed that rural students were more prone to scabies infections (14.12%) than their urban counterparts (5.88%) and the difference was statistically significant. The result of this study helped identify some students with Scabies infection in Anambra state Nigeria for appropriate treatment, prevention and control measures to curb the menace of Scabies infestation.

Knowledge Attitude and Perception (KAP) of Patients towards Analgesics Use: A Cross-Sectional Study in Outpatient Pharmacy Settings

Aims: This study aimed to explore and determine patients' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions about the use of analgesics.&#x0D; Study Design: Cross-sectional study by using structured, researcher-assisted survey questionnaire with a representative sample of patients in Hospital Selama.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Regardless of their clinical conditions, 272 patients who visited the outpatient pharmacy in Hospital, Selama, Perak Malaysia, and obtained NSAIDs were interviewed. The patients' knowledge, attitude, and perceptions of NSAID side effects were recorded.&#x0D; Methodology: To perform this study, structured self-administered questionnaires will be constructed after a comprehensive literature review. A panel of experts comprising of research academicians will discuss, review, and verify the content of the questionnaire, and it will be subjected to revision based on their recommendations. The questionnaire will be written in Malay and English and will be translated into both languages. Pilot research on 20 patients will be done prior to the study to assess the reliability of the validated questionnaire. The results of the pilot research will be used to make final adjustments. Cronbach's alpha test will be used to assess internal consistency, with alpha=0.40 established as the lowest acceptable value for validity.&#x0D; Results: There was no correlation between patient knowledge, attitudes, or perceptions about the use of analgesics. As a consequence, at Hospital Selama's outpatient pharmacy department, patients' knowledge, attitude, and perceptions about analgesic use were not substantially associated. A more in-depth investigation of the key reason why the majority of patients have commonly prescribed analgesics and often seek extra explanations despite being given adequate information is required.

University community-based survey on the knowledge, attitude and perception about COVID-19 pandemic: the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria as a case study.

SummaryIntroductionCoronavirus disease (COVID-19) is impacting social, economic and political patterns globally. To contain its spread, Nigeria like many other countries, imposed drastic measures such as lockdown/curfew.ObjectivesThis study assessed the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) about COVID-19 pandemic among members of staff of a university community in Nigeria. University staff members contribute to national development through dissemination of specialized knowledge and skills and guiding the young generation.MethodsA cross-sectional survey using an anonymous, self-designed, online KAP questionnaire was conducted from April 18 to May 31, 2020. The questionnaire consisted of ten knowledge questions regarding the transmission and prevention of COVID-19. The questions on attitude (15) and perception (10) assessed respondents’ behaviour towards adherence to government policies and views on government efforts to contain the infection respectively.ResultsA total of 125 (teaching) and 102 (non-teaching) staff responded. Approximately 59.1% of the respondents were males. The mean knowledge and positive attitude levels were 70.8% (SD ± 9.6%) and 83.1% (SD ± 13.07 %) respectively. Significant differences in the knowledge mean scores were observed for demographic categories such as educational qualification (p = 0.001), staff work category (p ≤ 0.000), work background (p ≤ 0.000), and type of lockdown (p = 0.027). Most of the respondents (85.3%) opined that COVID-19 was a biological weapon and viewed the lockdown as necessary (81.5%). However, they thought that the Nigerian government was not doing enough to mitigate COVID-19 spread.ConclusionsThe perception of COVID-19 in the university community bear implications across public health initiatives, compliance with precautionary behaviour and bilateral relations with foreign nations.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception of COVID-19 among Maritime Workers in the United Kingdom and Nigeria during the First Wave of the Pandemic

In this study, knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) of maritime workers’ towards COVID-19 during the rapid outbreak in Nigeria and the UK were examined. The study participants completed a self-developed online KAP questionnaire prepared by the convenience sampling method. The knowledge questionnaire comprised questions regarding the clinical characteristics and prevention of COVID-19. The assessments regarding the maritime workers’ attitudes and perceptions towards COVID-19 included questions on preventive measures such as wearing masks on the ships and the attitude towards continuous trade with the Chinese communities. A multiple logistic regression analysis was done using SPSS Statistics version 23.0 to analyse the results of the two groups. The three explanatory variables, gender, residence and age used in the two models applied were not significant predictors of the participants’ knowledge, attitude and perception about COVID-19. The odds ratio was small, except for the age group, which was 6.72 in the first model. This implies that the odds of having knowledge about COVID-19 during the pandemic were 6.72 times higher for the older age group. The odds ratios were generally low for attitude and perception about COVID-19, as shown in Table 4. Participants had considerable knowledge about COVID-19 and could stay healthy during the first wave of the novel coronavirus in 2019 because of the policies and measures imposed by the governments of Nigeria and the United Kingdom to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

A quality improvement study to reduce peripheral intravenous catheter-related complications in the medical ward of a tertiary hospital in Malaysia

Background: Peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) are associated with complications which can be prevented by implementing evidence-based practices around appropriate PIVC insertion and care. We aimed to conduct a quality improvement study (QIS) to reduce PIVC-related infection/inflammation in the medical ward of a tertiary teaching hospital in Malaysia. Methods & Materials: This QIS was performed in the infectious diseases ward of the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) from December 2018 to September 2019 and divided into three phases. The pre-intervention phase (December 2018 to January 2019) involved data collection to determine the incidence of PIVC-related infection/inflammation, discrepancies in the assessment of PIVC-related infection/inflammation and assessment of the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) of the healthcare workers (HCW) regarding PIVC care. The intervention phase (February 2019) involved feedback of the pre-intervention data to the HCWs and education (formal lectures, development and presentation of online videos of PIVC insertion and care). The post-intervention phase (March to September 2019), involved data collection to determine the incidence of PIVC-related infection/inflammation and re-administration of the KAP questionnaire. Audits of IV line handling and infusate administration technique were conducted from March to August 2019. Results: Prior to intervention, the rate of PIVC-related infection/inflammation was 15.4%, which reduced to 2.3% following intervention. No PIVC-related bacteraemia occurred. Prior to intervention, the discrepancy in assessment of PIVC-related infection/inflammation was 7.9%, with a decrease to 0% post-intervention. Analysis of the KAP questionnaire responses pre and post-intervention revealed an improvement from 60% to 90% for the question ‘How long would you wait for the disinfectant to dry after scrubbing the hub?’. The audits of IV line handling and infusate administration revealed an 11–31% rate of staff not tucking in ties, lanyards or scarves when performing these tasks, an 11% rate of not ‘scrubbing the hub’ for 15 seconds and not allowing it to dry before use, and up to a 100% rate of not cleaning used equipment appropriately after use. Conclusion: We demonstrated a significant reduction in PIVC-related infection/inflammation following feedback and education of best evidence-based practices on PIVC insertion and care. We now plan to expand this QIS to other wards in the hospital.

Household’s Willingness to Pay for the Expansion of Mataasna Bayan and Sinisian East Marine Protected Area in Lemery, Batangas, Philippines

The study was conducted primarily to 1) identify the socio-economic and the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) factors that affect the WTP of the households; 2) determine the socio-economic factors affecting the KAP of households; and 3) determine the mean willingness to pay (WTP) of households of four barangays of Lemery, Batangas: Mataasna Bayan and Sinisian East as on-site barangays and Balanga and Sinisian West as off-site barangays of the Marine Protected Area (MPA). A total of 316 respondents were surveyed following the contingent valuation method (CVM). Results showed that the mean WTP of the respondents amounts to PhP 46.47 per month. Among factors influencing their WTP are KAP variables such as knowledge on MPA, knowledge on MPA as fish habitat, perception on the need of MPA protection led by the Barangay, perception if there is anything to be changed in MPA management, and socio-economic variables like gender, income-expenses ratio and distance from the MPA. Using the mean WTP, the computed social benefit derived by the on-site and off-site MPA communities from coral reef conservation-based from their WTP amounted to PhP 999,215.734 per year.

Nutrition menu labelling in Terengganu: a cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitudes, perception and their relationship with healthy food choices

Nutrition menu labelling has been implemented in a number of restaurants in Malaysia. However, no known empirical research has focused on assessing the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) of nutrition menu labelling among consumers. Therefore, this cross -sectional study was conducted with 155 consumers (age 18 and above) from several selected cafeterias that were equipped with menu nutrition labelling to determine their KAP. Questionnaires consisting of socio-demographic, knowledge, attitude and perception of consumers on menu nutrition labelling, and consumers’ healthy food choices were given to the respondents through a self-administrated approach. The data collected were analysed using SPSS 21. The results show that respondent knowledge was predominantly moderate (54.8%), with a median score of 12 out of 25. Both the attitudes (87.1%) and perceptions (85.2%) of the respondents were mainly positive towards nutrition menu labelling. Attitude (r=0.547, p=0.001) and perception (r=0.539, p=0.001) had positive significant relationships towards healthy food choices among the respondents at p&lt;0.05. In conclusion, most consumers have a positive attitude and perception of nutrition menu labelling and may significantly influence towards healthy food choices. Further strategies are needed to increase consumer knowledge of nutrition menu labelling to promote greater usage of this information among Malaysian consumers.

Parents\u2019 self-directed practices towards the use of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

BackgroundExcessive and inappropriate antimicrobial use in the community is one risk factor that can result in the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Upper respiratory tract infections are most frequently reported among children and mainly of viral origin and do not require antibiotics.We have conducted Knowledge, Attitude and Perception (KAP) survey of parents to explore the parent’s knowledge, attitude & perception of Saudi parents.MethodsA knowledge attitude perception questioner was adopted from a previous study conducted in Greece by Panagakou et al. Raosoft online sample size calculator calculated the sample size by adding the total estimated Makkah population of 5,979,719 with a response rate of 30%, 5% margin of error and 99% confidence interval. Based on the described criteria five hundred & fifty-eight was the required sample size of the study. Incomplete questioners were excluded from the statistical analysis. SPSS version 21 was used to analyse data and to produce descriptive statistics.ResultsMost of the mothers (95%) responded among parents. 67% had no health insurance to cover medications costs. Most of them (74%) were related to medium income level. Seventy per cent of the parents believed physicians as a source of information for judicious antibiotics use. Interestingly, only 8% were agreed that most of the upper respiratory tract infections are caused by viral reasons.Majority of Saudi parents (53%) expect pediatricians to prescribe antimicrobials for their children for symptoms like a cough, nose discharge, sore throat and fever.Moreover, most the parents had the poor knowledge to differentiate commonly used OTC medications for URTI and antibiotics like Augmentin (Co-amoxiclav), Ceclor (cefaclor) and Erythrocin (Erythromycin). While comparing males and female’s knowledge level, few males have identified Amoxil (Amoxicillin). Similarly, parents of age 20–30 years have good knowledge about the antibiotics.ConclusionsMajority of Saudi parents believe in pediatricians and use antibiotics on physician’s advice. Most of them expect antibiotics from their physicians as a primary treatment for upper respiratory tract infections. There is need for more educational activities to parents by the pharmacists to prevent antibiotics overuse among children.

A KAP Study on Food Safety and Hygiene Among Private University Students in Kedah State, Malaysia

Objective: To assess the student’s Knowledge, Attitude and Perception (KAP) towards food safety and hygiene in a private University campus catering food to students. Method: This is a cross sectional study, using prevalidated questionnaire containing three sections and a total of 36 items. The survey was conducted in a private (AIMST) University campus involving students of various disciplines through self-administered survey forms. The completed questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS version 23 and statistical significance was assessed using Chi-square test. The correlations of KAP score towards the independent demographic variables and the presence of predictor variables using linear regression was done. Result: Among 869 respondents, the KAP scores based on socio-demographic variable were found to be significant in relation to the independent variables. The median KAP score was 92(11), with a minimum (48) and maximum (104). In the gender category, more than half of the respondents were female, among the course of study more than half had an overall positive KAP score (90%) regarding food safety and hygiene. Overall, all of the courses had attained a good KAP score when compared to moderate and poor score. Among the type of diet category, an overall good KAP score (90%) was observed with non-vegetarian, showed positive scoring compared to vegetarians. The Spearman’s correlation of knowledge, attitude and perception scores were found to be positively correlated [r(869) = .902, p < .001] with KAP scores. Conclusion: Majority of respondents showed good knowledge, attitude, and perception towards all domains and showed significant results and correlation. Continuous education is necessary to increase the awareness among young adults in the near future; they will be the ones directly handling food and play an important role to help maintain a hygienic and clean environment.

A Longitudinal KAP Study on HPV Immunised Adolescents’ in Malaysia

Introduction: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is the most frequently encountered sexually transmitted disease. Lack of HPV knowledge and vaccination intentions are the main concern for its high prevalence. The primary outcome measure were to assess the Knowledge, Attitude and Perception (KAP) levels among HPV vaccinated secondary school adolescents and estimate the impact of educational intervention through repeated measures. Methods: A longitudinal study was performed using pre-validated questionnaire and educational pamphlet as study and intervention tools. The survey was conducted in three phases, (0, .5 and 3-6 months). The scores were categorized based on original blooms cut-off scale. Descriptive statistics for categorical data and Friedman's test for repeated measures followed by pos hoc Wilcoxon signed rank test with Bonferroni correction (type-1 error) was used for inferential statistics. Result: The research findings showed significant differences (p<.001) in KAP scores, observed at all three phases (ph). The KAP scores were 58%, moderate at ph1, 67% good at ph2 and 59% good at ph3. The knowledge scores were, 63% poor at ph1, 64% good at ph2 and 64% good at ph3. An estimate for impact of intervention for knowledge gain revealed, a significant (p<.001) overall median knowledge score of 9(6) and 15(4) between ph1 and ph2, respectively. The knowledge retention showed significant differences (p<.001) in median scores, 9(6) and 15(7) between ph1 and ph3, respectively. Conclusion: Educational pamphlet significantly increased knowledge and KAP scores about HPV in the study population, regardless of socio-demographic characteristics among the study population. Effective, informative and appropriate educational protocols designed for the target population using 'Spaced Repetition-Based Educational Intervention' are particularly important for better and sustained outcomes.