KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE TOWARDS COVID-19 AMONG ELDERLY RESIDING IN SELECTED AREA OF URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITY, KAMRUP, ASSAM: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Abstract

The knowledge andpractice towards COVID-19 play a major role in prevention and control of COVID-19 and thus reduce disease burden in the society.Due to the high probability of infection, complications, co-morbidity and mortality in older people, it seems necessary to focus on their level of knowledge and practices towards COVID-19. The aim of the study was to Aim: assess and compare the level of knowledge and practice towards COVID-19 among elderly residing in selected area of urban and rural community,Kamrup,Assam. The research approach adopted for the study was quantitati Methods and materials: ve researchapproach. Non experimental comparative research design and interview method was used in this study.Purposive sampling technique was used to select the samples.The study was conducted in the selected area of urban and rural community,Kamrup,Assam,who fullled the inclusion criteria.The tools used for the study were structured knowledge questionnaire and practice questionnaire in the form of inventory checklist to assess the level of knowledge and practice towards COVID-19 among elderly . The study revealed that Result: in the urban community, majority i.e 88% of the elderly had adequate knowledge,12% of the elderly had moderately adequate knowledge towards COVID-19 and in terms of practice towards COVID-19,majority i.e 88% of the elderly had adequate practice,12% of the elderly had moderately adequate practice.Whereasin the rural community,majorityi.e 94% of the elderly had adequate knowledge,6% of the elderly had moderately adequate knowledge towards COVID-19 andin terms of practice towards COVID-19, majority i.e 68% of the elderly had adequate practice,32% of the elderly had moderately adequate practice .There was no signicant difference in the level of knowledge towards COVID-19 but there was signicant difference in the level of practice towards COVID-19 among elderly between urban and rural community.There was positive co-relation between the knowledge and practice towards COVID-19 among elderly residing in urban and rural community.In the urban community it was found that there was signicant association between the level of knowledge towards COVID-19 withoocupation,religion and type of family of the elderly and also there was signicant association between the level of practice towards COVID-19 with previous information regarding COVID-19 of the elderly. None of the demographic variableshad statistically signicant association with the level of knowledge and practice towards COVID-19 among elderly residing in rural community.