AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE OF PATIENTS TOWARDS PREVENTIVE MEASURES, AGAINST COVID-19 IN RESOURCE POOR DEVELOPING COUNTRY. A CROSS SECTIONAL SURVEY

Abstract

Objective: To know the Awareness, knowledge, attitude of patients towards pandemic and use of PPE, and how they follow the preventive instruction.

Study Design: Cross sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Obs /Gynae department, Combined Military Hospital Lahore, form Mar 2020 to May 2020.

Methodology: Five hundred women were recruited from Gynae outpatient department by random sampling technique from mid Mar 2020 to mid of May 2020. All the subjects were interviewed by questionnaire.

Results: Results were knowledge and awareness of population towards the spread, and prevention of pandemic of COVID-19. Patients attitude was also assessed towards use of preventive measures like wearing mask, hand wash, social distancing, use of sanitizer and general cleanliness. They were also interviewed about safety of breast feeding, and their knowledge regarding role of telemedicine in this pandemic. Most of patients showed maximum score in knowledge (88.4%) and attitude (90%) up to 3 showing direct relationship of knowledge and practice (attitude). Mean age was 40.4 yrs.

Conclusion: Knowledge about pandemic, its cause, how it spreads, has significant impact on awareness and practice of preventive measures in this pandemic period. Target should be education of general population to improve the practices in current pandemics, as well as for future epidemics.