Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards COVID-19 among Colombians during the outbreak: an online cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Background: Preventing the spread of COVID-19 requires the modification of behavior, including social distancing, mask-wearing, and regular handwashing. Modifying behavior requires understanding people's knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) regarding health threats. We explored KAPs among Colombians to examine whether KAPs affect adherence to recommended practices during the initial outbreak. Methods: We distributed a cross-sectional, internet-based questionnaire using referral network techniques. The questionnaire addressed three areas: knowledge about COVID-19; attitudes toward the ability to control it; and, self-reported practices related to the control of COVID-19. Demographic data were also collected. Results: A total of 482 individuals completed the questionnaire. Participants had low to moderate levels of knowledge about COVID-19. They expressed mixed levels of optimism about the world eventually controlling COVID-19, but they were very optimistic about Colombia's ability to control the disease. They reported extremely high levels of adoption of preventive practices. Binomial regression suggests few demographic factors associated with KAPs. Generally, knowledge had no association with optimism and little association with self-reported adoption of recommended practices. Conclusions: These findings indicate that greater knowledge of COVID-19 is insufficient to prompt behavior change. Colombians' greater optimism about their own country's ability to overcome COVID-19 as compared to the world's ability should be explored in greater depth. Since attitudes are associated with actions, future investigation of Colombians' optimism may provide guidance for improving attitudes elsewhere. Because adoption of preventive practices is extremely high in Colombia, Colombia may serve as a model case for how other nations can respond to COVID-19.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards COVID-19 among Venezuelans during the 2020 epidemic: An online cross-sectional survey

“…Specific areas where knowledge could be improved in Venezuela are the differences in symptoms between the common cold and COVID-19, as well as the inutility of antibiotics in preventing COVID-19 and the utility of wearing a mask. Significantly, where Bates et al’s [ 47 , 52 ] previous studies found few associations between knowledge and preventive practices, our data reveals that Venezuelans who are more knowledgeable of COVID-19 are more likely to wash their hands correctly, more likely to wear masks when in public, and less likely to improperly take antibiotics. Because these practices correspond fairly well to knowledge gaps among Venezuelans, they present clear and direct targets for educational messaging, and this kind of scientifically accurate messaging, if properly disseminated, could have a substantial impact on improving healthy practices [ 53 – 55 ].…”

“…Because COVID-19 is a regional threat in Latin America, identifying similarities and differences between KAPs among different national populations may allow Ministries of Health to learn best practices from other nations or identify unique intervention points for their people. In this instance, similarities and differences in KAPs in Venezuela and in two other Latin American states–Colombia and Ecuador–can be identified because our methodology and sample are similar to KAP investigations previously conducted in Colombia and in Ecuador [ 47 , 52 ]. Not only are the current study’s demographic characteristics similarly distributed in terms of age, gender, socioeconomic status, and urban/rural residency, but eleven of twelve knowledge items, both attitudinal items, and three of the four practice items are identical to Bates et al’s studies.…”

“…Although the majority of Venezuelans self-report following recommended practices, there is still room for improvement. In particular, nearly one-fourth of Venezuelans report having gone to crowded places in the last week, a number higher than self-reported in both Colombia and in Ecuador [ 47 , 52 ]. The groups that appear to be less likely to follow approved practices are men, younger people, students, and manual laborers.…”

An On-Line Cross-Sectional Questionnaire to Assess Knowledge of COVID-19 Pandemic among Citizens Tested for the SARS-CoV-2 Virus in Quito and Ibarra, Ecuador

“…Since the beginning of the pandemic, several empirical treatments and homemade remedies have been deemed effective to battle infection, notwithstanding the lack of supporting information and the disregarding of potential side effects [ 34 , 35 ]. In addition, the severe consequences left by the first COVID-19 outbreak have deteriorated optimistic attitudes among the public, which has prompted a rise in the popularity of holistic medicine (pseudo medicine) and pseudoscience [ 36 ].…”

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to COVID-19 among patients at Hospital Universitario de Caracas triage tent: A cross-sectional study

“…With respect to patient attitudes, confidence that the Venezuelan government can effectively control the virus (42.8%) was greater than in Peru (23.1%) (11); however, it was much less than in China (97.1%) and Tanzania (96%) (14,19), significantly inferior to other countries of the area, such as Colombia (51,3%), Paraguay (66%), and Ecuador (63%) (26)(27)(28), and had similar results to those found in Brazil (41%) (29). This could suggest discontent and a high sense of risk by the surveyed population.…”