Sağlık Bilimleri Öğrencilerinin Covid-19 Pandemisine Yönelik Bilgi ve Farkındalıklarının Değerlendirilmesi: Türkiye’den Bir Üniversite Örneği

Dünya’yı sarsan Covid-19 pandemisinin önlenmesi ve şiddetinin azaltılması, bireylerin bu hastalığa yönelik bilgi ve farkındalık kazanması ile sıkı bir şekilde ilişkilidir. Çalışma, bir üniversite özelinde sağlık bilimlerinde öğrenim gören öğrencilerin Covid-19 hastalığına yönelik temel seviyede bilgi ve farkındalık düzeyini değerlendirmek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışma, kesitsel, tanımlayıcı özelliktedir. Araştırma verileri Haziran–Temmuz 2020 tarihleri arasında bir vakıf üniversitesinden, çevrimiçi test yolu ile toplanmıştır. Veri toplama aracı, Covid-19 hastalığı ile ilgili; virüs bilgisi, tanı, prognoz, tedavi gibi 7 bilgi-farkındalık alanına yönelik 25 çoktan seçmeli sorudan oluşmaktadır. Çalışmaya 14 sağlık disiplininden 339 öğrenci katıldı. Test doğru yanıt ortalaması 15.4±3.0 toplam puan ortalaması 61.7±14.5, bilgi-farkındalık seviyesi orta (50–64 puan) düzeyde bulundu. Öğrenciler, testte yer alan 7 soruya (1, 4, 13, 15, 18, 21 ve 22) ≥%71 oranında doğru yanıt verdi. Buna karşılık 7 sorunun (5, 7, 8 16, 1, 19 ve 2) doğru yanıt oranı £%50 bulundu. Pandemi takibinde izlenen “R” sayısının anlamı doğru yanıt oranı en az olan soru idi (%37.5). Virüsün adı olan SARS-CoV-2 ve sitokin fırtınasının tanımı düşük bilinme oranı gösteren sorulardı (sırasıyla % 41.3 ve %46.0). Tıp, Diş ve Eczacılık Fakültesi grubunun doğru yanıt oranları (%68.4), Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi ve Meslek Yüksekokulu gruplarına göre daha yüksekti (sırasıyla %60.3 ve %58.3, p=0.001). Öğrencilerin Covid-19 hastalığına yönelik bilgi-farkındalık düzeyleri orta seviyede bulundu. Sonuçlar, öğrencilerde bağımsız olarak bilimsel bilgiye yönelim, merak ve gündemi takip konusunda bir zafiyet olduğunu düşündürmektedir. Pandemiye ilişkin, periyodik bilgilendirme toplantıları, müfredatta bu konuya özgün ders saati eklenmesi gibi iyileştirme ve geliştirmeler yapılması önerilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Bilgi, Covid-19, farkındalık, SARS-CoV-2, üniversite öğrencisi

Assessment of Health Sciences Students’ Knowledge and Awareness of the Covid-19 Pandemic: Sample of One University from Turkey

Individuals getting information and understanding of the Covid-19 pandemic that shook the world are intimately tied to the disease's prevention and decreasing its severity. The purpose of the study is to determine the fundamental level of Covid-19 disease knowledge-awareness among university students studying health sciences. The study is descriptive and cross-sectional. The data were gathered using an online test administered by a private university between June and July 2020. It consists of 25 multiple-choice questions covering seven knowledge-awareness subject areas, including virus knowledge, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. 339 students from 14 different healthcare fields took part in the study. All students had a 15.4±3.0 correct answer average, a 61.7±14.5 total score average, and a moderate level of information awareness (=50–64 points). Seven of the test’s questions (1, 4, 13, 15, 18, 21, and 22) were answered correctly by ≥71% of the students. Seven questions (5, 7, 8, 16, 1, 19, and 2), on the other hand, received a £50% correct response rate. For the pandemic question, the meaning of the reproduction number (R-value) received the lowest percentage of correct answers (37.5%). When asked about their names and implications, the virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and cytokine storm had poor knowledge rates (41.3% and 46.0%, respectively). Students of the School of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, and Pharmacy had greater correct response rates (68.4%), than those studying at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Vocational School (60.3% and 58.3%, p=0.001, respectively). The level of knowledge-awareness regarding Covid-19 disease among students was determined to be modest. The findings imply that students struggle with independent orientation to scientific information, curiosity, and agenda-following. Some improvements, such as regular information sessions and a separate course hour dedicated to this subject in the curriculum to manage the pandemic are suggested.

Keywords:

Awareness, Covid-19, knowledge, SARS-CoV-2, university student,

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