Evaluation of Health Technician Students' Knowledge and Behaviors Regarding COVID-19 and Protective Measures

Background and Purpose: COVID-19 is an important public health problem impacting the whole world. This study aimed to evaluate health technician students' knowledge and behaviors regarding COVID-19 and protective measures. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed with Dokuz Eylül University Health Services Vocational School students (n=648). Data were collected online using a descriptive data registration form that consisted of 65 questions via Google Forms. Results: While the students' mean knowledge score on COVID-19 and protective measures was 15.31±3.22, the mean behavior score was 10.53±3.34. A significant difference was detected between the students' education program, gender, father's educational status, smoking, and exercise habits and total behavior score averages related to COVID-19 and protective measures (p

Keywords:

COVID-19, Knowledge Behavior, Health Technician Student,

PDF

___

1. Abubakar SD, Anka AU, Tahir MI, et al. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): An overview of the immunopathology, serological diagnosis and management. Scand J Immunol. 2021 Apr;93(4):e12998. doi: 10.1111/sji.12998. Epub 2020 Dec 3. PMID: 33190302; PMCID: PMC7744910.
2. World Health Organization [Home/Diseases/Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)]. Timeline: WHO's COVID-19 response [updated 24 jan 2021; cited 29 apr 2021]. Available from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus2019/interactive-timeline/#!
3. Mohamadian M, Chiti H, Shoghli A, Biglari S, Parsamanesh N, Esmaeilzadeh A. COVID-19: Virology, biology and novel laboratory diagnosis. J Gene Med. 2021 Feb;23(2):e3303. doi: 10.1002/jgm.3303. Epub 2021 Jan 6. PMID: 33305456; PMCID: PMC7883242
4. Demirbilek Y, Pehlivantürk G, Özgüler ZÖ, Alp Meşe E. COVID-19 outbreak control, example of ministry of health of Turkey. Turk J Med Sci. 2020 Apr 21;50(SI-1):489-494. doi: 10.3906/sag-2004-187. PMID: 32304192; PMCID: PMC7195985
5. Li Q, Guan X, Wu P, et al. Early Transmission Dynamics in Wuhan, China, of Novel Coronavirus-Infected Pneumonia. N Engl J Med. 2020 Mar 26;382(13):1199-1207. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2001316. Epub 2020 Jan 29. PMID: 31995857; PMCID: PMC7121484.
6. Dargahi A, Jeddi F, Vosoughi M, et al. Investigation of SARS CoV-2 virus in environmental surface. Environ Res. 2021 Apr;195:110765. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110765. Epub 2021 Jan 23. PMID: 33497684; PMCID: PMC7826054.
7. Lauer SA, Grantz KH, Bi Q, et al. Jones FK, Zheng Q, Meredith HR, Azman AS, Reich NG, Lessler J. The Incubation Period of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) From Publicly Reported Confirmed Cases: Estimation and Application. Ann Intern Med. 2020 May 5;172(9):577-582. doi: 10.7326/M20-0504. Epub 2020 Mar 10. PMID: 32150748; PMCID: PMC7081172.
8. Chen N, Zhou M, Dong X, et al. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study. Lancet. 2020 Feb 15;395(10223):507-513. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30211-7. Epub 2020 Jan 30. PMID: 32007143; PMCID: PMC7135076.
9. Huang C, Wang Y, Li X, et al. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet. 2020 Feb 15;395(10223):497-506. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5. Epub 2020 Jan 24. Erratum in: Lancet. 2020 Jan 30;: PMID: 31986264; PMCID: PMC7159299.
10. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Advice for the public. [Online] World Health Organization. Retrieved September 2, 2022. Available from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
11. Feng S, Shen C, Xia N, Song W, Fan M, Cowling BJ. Rational use of face masks in the COVID-19 pandemic. Lancet Respir Med. 2020 May;8(5):434-436. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30134-X. Epub 2020 Mar 20. PMID: 32203710; PMCID: PMC7118603.
12. Barranco R, Ventura F. Covid-19 and infection in health-care workers: An emerging problem. Medico-Legal Journal. 2020;88(2):65-66. doi:10.1177/0025817220923694
13. Hunter E, Price DA, Murphy E, et al. First experience of COVID-19 screening of health-care workers in England. Lancet. 2020 May 2;395(10234):e77-e78. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30970-3. Epub 2020 Apr 22. PMID: 32333843; PMCID: PMC7176380.
14. Khalil A, Hill R, Ladhani S, Pattisson K, O'Brien P. COVID-19 screening of health-care workers in a London maternity hospital. Lancet Infect Dis. 2021 Jan;21(1):23-24. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30403-5. Epub 2020 May 18. PMID: 32437699; PMCID: PMC7234777.
15. Wang X, Ferro EG, Zhou G, Hashimoto D, Bhatt DL. Association between universal masking in a health care system and SARS-CoV-2 positivity among health care workers. JAMA. 2020 Aug 18;324(7):703-704. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.12897. PMID: 32663246; PMCID: PMC7362190.
16. Folgueira MD, Munoz-Ruiperez C, Alonso-Lopez MA, Delgado R. SARS-CoV-2 infection in Health Care Workers in a large public hospital in Madrid, Spain, during March 2020. medRxiv. 2020. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.07.20055723
17. MedScape.com In Memoriam: Healthcare Workers Who Have Died of COVID-19. [updated 11 march 2021; cited 02 September 2022]. Available from: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/927976
18. Pirincci E, Arca M, Sen MA, et al. COVID-19 anxiety and hygiene status in vocational schools of health services students in Turkey: A multicenter study. Work. 2021;69(4):1143-1152. doi: 10.3233/WOR-205254. PMID: 34420996.
19. Gohel KH, Patel PB, Shah PM, Patel JR, Pandit N, Raut A.Knowledge and perceptions about COVID-19 among the medical and allied health science students in India: An online cross-sectional survey. Clin Epidemiol Glob Health. 2021 Jan-Mar;9:104-109. doi: 10.1016/j.cegh.2020.07.008. Epub 2020 Aug 12. PMID: 32838066; PMCID: PMC7420087.
20. Zandian H, Sarailoo M, Dargahi S, Gholizadeh H, Dargahi A, Vosoughi M. Evaluation of knowledge and health behavior of University of Medical Sciences students about the prevention of COVID-19. Work. 2021; 68(3):543-549. doi: 10.3233/WOR-203395. PMID: 33612505.
21. Çalışkan F, Mıdık Ö, Baykan Z, et al. The knowledge level and perceptions toward COVID-19 among Turkish final year medical students. Postgrad Med. 2020 Nov;132(8):764-772. doi: 10.1080/00325481.2020.1795486. Epub 2020 Aug 6. PMID: 32657235.
22. Taghrir MH, Borazjani R, Shiraly R. COVID-19 and Iranian Medical Students; A Survey on Their Related-Knowledge, Preventive Behaviors and Risk Perception. Arch Iran Med. 2020 Apr 1;23(4):249-254. doi: 10.34172/aim.2020.06. PMID: 32271598.
23. Gao Z, Ying S, Liu J, Zhang H, Li J, Ma C. A cross-sectional study: Comparing the attitude and knowledge of medical and non-medical students toward 2019 novel coronavirus. J Infect Public Health. 2020 Oct;13(10):1419-1423. doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2020.06.031. Epub 2020 Jul 1. PMID: 32653479; PMCID: PMC7328549.
24. Peng Y, Pei C, Zheng Y, et al. A cross-sectional survey of knowledge, attitude and practice associated with COVID-19 among undergraduate students in China. BMC Public Health. 2020 Aug 26;20(1):1292. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-09392-z. PMID: 32847554; PMCID: PMC7447607.
25. Alzoubi H, Alnawaiseh N, Al-Mnayyis A, Abu-Lubad M, Aqel A, Al-Shagahin H. Covid-19 - Knowledge, attitude and practice among medical and non-medical university students in Jordan. J. Pure Appl. Microbiol 2020; 14(1): 17-24 https://doi.org/10.22207/JPAM.14.1.04
26. Erasmus V, Daha TJ, Brug H, et al. Systematic review of studies on compliance with hand hygiene guidelines in hospital care. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2010 Mar;31(3):283-94. doi: 10.1086/650451. PMID: 20088678.
27. Bezerra TB, Valim MD, Bortolini J, Ribeiro RP, Marcon SR, Moura MEB. Adherence to hand hygiene in critical sectors: Can we go on like this? J Clin Nurs. 2020 Jul;29(13-14):2691-2698. doi: 10.1111/jocn.15293. Epub 2020 May 11. PMID: 32301162.
28. Dinç A, Mandıracıoğlu A. Evaluation of the Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior of Ege University Medical Faculty Hospital Employees About COVID-19 & Protective Measures. Aegean Journal Medical Science 2021; 2: 42-51. https://doi.org/10.33713/egetbd.929984
29. Gölbaşı SD, Sungur S, Aygar H, et al. Evaluation of Knowledge Levels and Behaviors of Medical Faculty Students Regarding COVID-19 Disease. Osmangazi Journal of Medicine. 2021; 43(5): 519-528. https://doi.org/10.20515/otd.907362
30. Khasawneh AI, Humeidan AA, Alsulaiman JW, et al. Medical Students and COVID-19: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Precautionary Measures. A Descriptive Study From Jordan. Front Public Health. 2020 May 29;8:253. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00253. PMID: 32574313; PMCID: PMC7274076.