Knowledge, attitudes, anxiety, and preventive behaviours towards COVID-19 among health care providers in Yemen: an online cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Abstract Background: The current rapid prevalence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic over the world is associated with a considerable level of scared, anxiety, and panic among the public, in particular, healthcare providers (HCPs) as the most vulnerable group at risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. To protect and enhance HCPs' capacity to carry out their duties in responding to COVID-19, healthcare authorities should keep them away from stress and anxiety and improve their knowledge, attitude, and practice towards COVID-19 to ensure their compliance with infection control precautions. Therefore, this study aimed to explore knowledge, attitudes, anxiety, and preventive behaviours among Yemeni HCPs towards COVID-19. Methods: A descriptive, web-based-cross-sectional study was conducted among 1231 Yemeni HCPs. The COVID-19 related questionnaire was designed using Google forms. The responses were coded and analyzed using the software package (IBMSPSS), version 22.0. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficient test were also used in this study. A p-value of < 0.05 levels with a 95% confidence interval was considered as statistically significant. The data collection started on 22nd April 2020, at 6 PM and closed on 26th April 2020 at 11 AM. Results: The results indicated that out of 1231 of the HCPs participating in this study, 61.6% were male and 67% were in the age group of 20 to 30 years old with a mean of 29.29±6.75. Most of them (86%) had a bachelor's degree or above and had 10 years of working experience or less (88.1%). Besides, although 57.1% of the respondents obtained their information via social and news media and 60.0% had never attended lectures/discussions about COVID-19, the results revealed that the majority of respondents had an adequate level of knowledge, an optimistic attitude, moderate anxiety, and high performance in preventive behaviours (69.8%, 85.10%, 51.0& 87.70%, respectively) toward the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Although the Yemeni HCPs exhibited an adequate level of knowledge, an optimistic attitude, moderate anxiety, and high performance in preventive behaviours toward the COVID-19 pandemic, the results showed gaps in some themes, particularly in their knowledge and attitude on the COVID-19 pandemic which needs to be updated or refreshed.