SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 pandemic) in Nigeria: Multi-institutional survey of knowledge, practices and perception amongst undergraduate veterinary medical students

PLoS One. 2021 Mar 15;16(3):e0248189. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248189. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

The novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic with an increasing public health concern. Due to the non-availability of a vaccine against the disease, non-pharmaceutical interventions constitute major preventive and control measures. However, inadequate knowledge about the disease and poor perception might limit compliance. This study examined COVID-19-related knowledge, practices, perceptions and associated factors amongst undergraduate veterinary medical students in Nigeria. A cross-sectional web survey was employed to collect data from 437 consenting respondents using pre-tested self-administered questionnaire (August 2020). Demographic factors associated with the knowledge and adoption of recommended preventive practices towards COVID-19 were explored using multivariate logistic regression at P ≤ 0.05. The respondents' mean knowledge and practice scores were 22.7 (SD ± 3.0) and 24.1 (SD ± 2.9), respectively with overall 63.4% and 88.8% displaying good knowledge and satisfactory practice levels. However, relatively lower proportions showed adherence to avoid touching face or nose (19.5%), face mask-wearing (58.1%), and social distancing (57.4%). Being in the 6th year of study (OR = 3.18, 95%CI: 1.62-6.26, P = 0.001) and female (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.11-4.41, P = 0.024) were significant positive predictors of good knowledge and satisfactory practices, respectively. While only 30% of the respondents perceived the pandemic as a scam or a disease of the elites (24.0%), the respondents were worried about their academics being affected negatively (55.6%). Veterinary Medical Students in Nigeria had good knowledge and satisfactory preventive practices towards COVID-19; albeit with essential gaps in the key non-pharmaceutical preventive measures recommended by the WHO. Therefore, there is a need to step up enlightenment and targeted campaigns about COVID-19 pandemic.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • COVID-19 / pathology*
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Education, Veterinary
  • Female
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Masks
  • Nigeria
  • Physical Distancing
  • Quarantine
  • SARS-CoV-2 / isolation & purification
  • Self Report
  • Students, Medical / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

The author(s) received no specific funding for this work