Self-learning on COVID-19 among medical students and their preparedness to participate in government’s COVID-19 response in Bhutan: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundBhutan lacks a medical school and all their medical students are trained outside in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India. When the COVID-19 pandemic let to closure of medical schools in these countries, the Bhutanese medical students were repatriated in March-April 2020. Upon return, they were kept in government-sponsored facility quarantine for 21 days. This study assessed their knowledge on COVID-19 as a part of self-learning and attitude as part of preparedness towards participation in government’s health response to COVID-19.MethodThis was a cross-sectional study among medical students who had returned to the country. This survey was conducted through an online questionnaire while the students were in 21-day facility quarantine. The sample size calculated was 129 and a convenient sampling was used. Knowledge was assessed using 20 questions, each scored 1/20. Cumulative score of score of ≥80% was categorized as “good knowledge”, score of ≥60 – 79% was considered “satisfactory knowledge”, and score < 60% was considered “poor knowledge.” Correlation between knowledge score and duration of clinical clerkship was tested using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Attitude of students towards their willingness to participate in the national COVID-19 response were tested using rating scales. Data were analysed using Stata 13.1.Results120 medical students responded to this survey (response rate = 93%). Eighty-eight (74%) had good knowledge, 28 (23%) had satisfactory knowledge and only four (3%) had poor knowledge on COVID-19. The students scored high on the symptomatology, mode of transmission, prevention and treatment options and on local epidemiology; and scored low on the forms of mechanical ventilations and on the home-management of non-critical cases. The knowledge score correlated with duration of clinical clerkship (r = 0.326, p = 0.001). The primary source of information were social media sites (102, 85%), television (94, 78%) and newspapers (76, 63%). The majority (78, 65%) were willing to participate in the government’s COVID-19 response but could not identify what roles they could play. The fear of contracting COVID-19 was reported in only in 8.7%.ConclusionsThe medical students had good knowledge on COVID-19 and were self-learned through social media, television and newspapers. The students held positive attitude towards participation in the government’s COVID-19 response.