Community Support Association of Nepal (COSAN), Kathmandu, Nepal.
Save the Children UK, London and Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom.
Front Public Health. 2021 Jan 14;8:589372. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.589372. eCollection 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global health emergency requiring an effective public health response including citizen's roles in preventing spread and controlling the pandemic. Little is known about public knowledge, beliefs and behaviors in-relation to the pandemic in Nepal. This study aims to assess knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) toward COVID-19 among the general public and to identify associated factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between May-June 2020 with a sample of 645, recruited from 26 hospitals across Nepal. We conducted telephone interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire related to KAP regarding COVID-19. -test and one-way ANOVA was conducted to determine group differences for socio-demographic variables. Linear regression and correlational analysis were performed to identify associated factors and measure strength and direction of relationships. Overall mean scores for knowledge, attitude and practice were 11.6 (SD 4.5), 2.7 (SD 1.8), and 9.9 (SD 1.93) respectively, but differed by socio-demographic characteristics. Positive but weak linear correlations were observed between knowledge-practice ( = 0.19, < 0.01) and attitude-practice ( = 0.08, < 0.05). The relationship between knowledge and education was fairly strong ( = 0.34, < 0.01). Province, place of residence, ecological area, age, gender and caste/ethnicity were also significantly associated with KAP score of participants. The study found varying degrees of correlation between Knowledge, Attitude and Practice that may increase as the pandemic evolves in Nepal. Knowledge and level of education had positive associations with attitude and adherence to precautionary measures. The findings suggest a need for targeted community awareness interventions for the most vulnerable populations, men, those with no school education, the elderly and people living in rural areas.
新冠疫情已造成全球卫生紧急状况，需要采取有效的公共卫生应对措施，包括公民在阻止疫情传播和控制疫情方面的作用。尼泊尔公众对疫情的知识、信念和行为知之甚少。本研究旨在评估公众对新冠疫情的知识、态度和行为（KAP），并确定相关因素。 2020 年 5 月至 6 月期间，在尼泊尔 26 家医院招募了 645 名参与者进行横断面调查。我们使用与新冠疫情 KAP 相关的半结构式问卷进行了电话访谈。对社会人口统计学变量进行 t 检验和单因素方差分析，以确定组间差异。进行线性回归和相关性分析，以确定相关因素，并测量关系的强度和方向。 总体而言，知识、态度和实践的平均得分分别为 11.6（SD 4.5）、2.7（SD 1.8）和 9.9（SD 1.93），但因社会人口统计学特征而异。知识与实践之间呈正相关（ = 0.19， < 0.01），态度与实践之间呈正相关（ = 0.08， < 0.05），呈弱线性相关。知识与教育之间的关系相当密切（ = 0.34， < 0.01）。省份、居住地、生态区、年龄、性别和种姓/族群也与参与者的 KAP 得分显著相关。 研究发现，知识、态度和实践之间存在不同程度的相关性，随着疫情在尼泊尔的发展，这种相关性可能会增加。知识和教育水平与态度和遵守预防措施呈正相关。研究结果表明，需要针对最弱势群体、男性、没有接受过学校教育的人、老年人和农村地区的人开展有针对性的社区意识干预措施。
