https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0064-7870
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Abstract
Background
Community adherence to current control measures is one of the vital factors that determines the success of controlling the spread of COVID-19. This adherence depends on the knowledge and attitude of a community toward COVID-19 and their precautionary measures against the disease.
Objective
This study aims to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of the community from the Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia, toward COVID-19 and their precautionary measures against the disease.
Methods
The descriptive cross-sectional study involved an online sample of participants from the Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia, who were recruited based on a nonprobability convenience sampling method from April to May 2020. The self-administered online questionnaire comprised four parts: the first included the demographic details of the participants; the second consisted of 11 closed-ended questions that assessed the participants’ knowledge of COVID-19; the third contained six closed-ended questions that assessed the participants’ overall attitude toward COVID-19; and the fourth comprised six closed-ended questions on the participants’ precautionary measures against COVID-19. The data were analyzed using Statistisoftware SPSS 21.0.
Results
Altogether, 740 participants completed the online questionnaire. The mean knowledge score concerning COVID-19 was 8.08 ± 1.765. Graduate participants scored significantly higher for all knowledge items than those from other educational levels. Furthermore, the main source of COVID-19 information was the Ministry of Health website 661 (89.3%). The mean attitude score regarding COVID-19 was 9.74 ± 1.935, whereas the mean precautionary measures score was 10.09 ± 1.91. University-educated participants scored significantly higher for all knowledge items than those from other educational levels. Female participants had significantly higher precautionary measures scores than male participants.
Conclusion
This study confirms that residents of the Aseer Region have high knowledge of, demonstrate a positive attitude toward, and use appropriate precautionary measures against COVID-19, which is associated with obtaining information about the virus from the Ministry of Health website.
Acknowledgments
The authors are extremely grateful to the residents of the Aseer Region who so kindly contributed their time to participate in this study. The authors are also indebted to Rahaf Hasan Mutiq and Wejdan Fahad Ali Alshehri, who helped to collect the data. The authors are grateful to King Khalid University.
Disclosure
The authors declare no conflicts of interest for this work.