Background The outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China, which began in December 2019, evolved to become a global pandemic. The pandemic, along with the obvious health-related impact, also poses a serious threat to the psychological well-being of individuals and has resulted in significant behavioral changes. We aimed to describe the psycho-behavioral response to this crisis among the population of Karachi, Pakistan, in the month of March 2020. Methods A structured, self-administered questionnaire was constructed, based on previously conducted surveys, assessing the psychological impact and behavioral changes pertaining to COVID-19. Questionnaires were made available online, and were administered to any individual who was a resident of Karachi, during March 2020. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) to identify possible risk factors for psychological and behavioral changes. The responses were compared based on gender, age, and level of education, to find possible statistical correlations using chi-square test. Results This research studied data from 400 participants residing in Karachi, Pakistan. The spread of the virus had resulted in subsequent development of fears in the target population, with the majority of the respondents feeling anxious on a daily basis (62.5%). The participants feared going to marketplaces (88.8%), were concerned for the health of their family members (94.5%), and felt under-confident with the current infection control measures (71%). Significantly elevated levels of fear were noted among people >35 years of age. They were more likely to fear for the safety of their health even at home (p=0.06). Meanwhile, increased levels of anxiety due to use of social media among people below 35 years had resulted in avoidance behaviors (p=0.04). There was a higher tendency for graduates to fear for the safety of their health, even at home (p<0.01). In addition, more than three-fourths of our participants had incorporated changes in their behavior to ensure their safety i.e. reduced physical contact (86.5%) and visits to healthcare facilities (74.5%), canceled plans (84.5%), and washing hands more often (87%). Conclusion Our study highlighted the increased anxiety levels that an individual experienced on a regular basis regarding their health, the health of their peers, certain avoidance behaviors as a result of the disease, and behavioral changes of the concerned population. Besides calling attention to this worrisome situation, we also tried to list possible solutions to avert any future distress that 1 1 2 3

No abstract

Background: In Pakistan, thousands are reported dead due to organ failure annually, owing to the huge discrepancy between the number of people waiting for organ donation and the number of organs available. It is imperative that the young generation, the future donor force, comprehends the concept and importance of organ donation. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding organ donation amongst the youth of Pakistan, and to delineate the factors that motivate or demotivate the new generation for organ donation so our future campaigns may be more successful. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on undergraduate medical and non-medical students from various universities of Karachi, Pakistan. Using convenience sampling, 450 students were sent online, structured, 11-item questionnaires. The analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 23.0, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, US), and associations calculated through chi-square tests. A knowledge score was calculated to reflect a participant's familiarity with organ donation. Results: 88.7% of students were familiar with organ donation; however, only 34.6% were willing to donate, and 0.6% had donated an organ. Belonging to a medical university and female gender were associated with higher knowledge scores. 'To save lives' (51.7%) was cited by most students as a factor that would motivate them to donate an organ, while 'Religion' (27.6%) was chosen as the most popular factor that demotivates them. Conclusion: Majority of the students had insufficient overall knowledge about organ donation, highlighting the need for inculcating this topic in the curriculum. The differences in knowledge between medical and non-medical students were inconsistent with their practices, indicating that future campaigns should focus on eliminating barriers to organ donation to facilitate an accepting attitude and increased practices with respect to this topic.