Survey on public awareness, attitudes and self-protective behavior adoption in different periods of COVID-19

Front Public Health. 2023 Jan 20:10:1063384. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1063384. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Introduction: The outbreak and spread of the pandemics have been an issue of critical concern globally, posing a significant threat to the health sector globally. This study aimed to examine the basic knowledge and attitudes toward the recommended protective measures at different times, respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and provide recommendations for developing targeted strategies and measures for preventing and controlling public health emergencies.

Methods: The study used self-filled questionnaires to examine the public's knowledge, attitudes, and practices on COVID-19 at two different period, from 20 to 31 March 2020 (the beginning period) and 22-27 April 2022 (the regular epidemic prevention and control period). Descriptive and quantitative analyses were used for statistical analysis.

Results and discussion: The survey collected 2375 valid questionnaires. A comparison of the two periods reveals that as the epidemic continued over a long period, the level of knowledge, attitudes toward preventive measures, risk perceptions, and adoption behavior of the respondents at the beginning of the epidemic were significantly higher than during the regular epidemic prevention and control period. With the upsurge in the spread of the epidemic, the public needs a multi-channel, targeted, and all-round guidance and information on prevention and control of the COVID-19, and internalizes knowledge into individual's behavior of actively responding to diseases.When the epidemic lasts for a long time, the relevant agencies should strengthen their monitoring role to promote public compliance with the recommended measures.

Keywords: COVID-19; KAP; PADM; behavior adoption; different periods.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Pandemics / prevention & control
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

This research was partially funded by a research grant from the Jiangsu Social Science Fund Key Project (K0201900192), Study on the establishment and improvement of the system mechanism and policy system of urban-rural integration and development in Jiangsu, the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD), and Major program of National Social Science Foundation (20ZDA045), Research on the deepening of the reform of the rural collective property right system and the economic development.