Corona health-care warriors in India: knowledge, attitude, and practices during COVID-19 outbreak

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has become a global health emergency after its first case in Wuhan city, China An increasing number of cases and deaths are challenging the health-care system globally This study aims to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 disease among health personnel in rapid outbreak in India MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using Google Forms through Google platform on-line A total of 713 health personal allied health-care staff, working in different public and private health-care facilities, was conducted in the mid of April 2020 A structured knowledge, attitude, and practice questionnaire used to assess health personnel's knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 All instruments were validated and pretested before use Chi-square test, followed by binary logistic and multivariate regression, was applied to determine factors associated with knowledge scores RESULTS: Seven hundred and thirteen health personnel participated, and 703 (98 6%) participants responded were analyzed for final results 95 9% of the health personnel were aware about route of transmission and clinical symptoms (95 3%) of COVID-19 63 7% believed that virus outbreak would be controlled globally and followed standard precautions (81 8%), including wearing the mask Further, majority (98 3%) of the participants avoided social contact by not going to crowded places and not calling people to their homes (82 2%) during the advisory of the government In binary logistic regression analyses, the adequate knowledge score found significantly associated with MBBS/bachelor's degree (odds ratio [OR]: 2 309, confidence interval [CI]: 1 232-4 324, P < 0 009) and master's degree (OR: 2 944, CI: 1 485-5 835, P < 0 002), working with government health-care facility (OR: 3 662, CI: 1 624-8 285, P < 0 002), and holding a post of a physician (OR: 7 735, CI: 2 210-27 091, P < 0 001) during outbreak CONCLUSIONS: The level of education is associated with adequate knowledge scores among the health personnel Type of health-care facility and post held in a health-care facility are significant predictors of adequacy of knowledge © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications All rights reserved