Assessment of Health Sciences Students’ Knowledge and Awareness of the Covid-19 Pandemic: Sample of One University from Turkey

Abstract

Individuals getting information and understanding of the Covid-19 pandemic that shook the world are intimately tied to the disease's prevention and decreasing its severity. The purpose of the study is to determine the fundamental level of Covid-19 disease knowledge-awareness among university students studying health sciences. The study is descriptive and cross-sectional. The data were gathered using an online test administered by a private university between June and July 2020. It consists of 25 multiple-choice questions covering seven knowledge-awareness subject areas, including virus knowledge, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. 339 students from 14 different healthcare fields took part in the study. All students had a 15.4±3.0 correct answer average, a 61.7±14.5 total score average, and a moderate level of information awareness (=50–64 points). Seven of the test’s questions (1, 4, 13, 15, 18, 21, and 22) were answered correctly by ≥71% of the students. Seven questions (5, 7, 8, 16, 1, 19, and 2), on the other hand, received a £50% correct response rate. For the pandemic question, the meaning of the reproduction number (R-value) received the lowest percentage of correct answers (37.5%). When asked about their names and implications, the virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and cytokine storm had poor knowledge rates (41.3% and 46.0%, respectively). Students of the School of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, and Pharmacy had greater correct response rates (68.4%), than those studying at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Vocational School (60.3% and 58.3%, p=0.001, respectively). The level of knowledge-awareness regarding Covid-19 disease among students was determined to be modest. The findings imply that students struggle with independent orientation to scientific information, curiosity, and agenda-following. Some improvements, such as regular information sessions and a separate course hour dedicated to this subject in the curriculum to manage the pandemic are suggested.