Knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward COVID-19 among the general population: a cross-sectional study in Kankan, Guinea

Abstract

Background. Implementing decisive and effective infection prevention and control measures necessitates a thorough grasp of the general population’s level of knowledge in order to identify existing gaps and react appropriately. Objective. The goal of this cross-sectional research was to assess public knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) about COVID-19 in Kankan Guinea, in order to better understand the ercial use only socio-demographic factors that are associated with poor KAP. Materials and Methods. The study population consists of 1230 people who reside in five health districts in the Kankan region. An anonymous paper-based questionnaire, given face-to-face by trained field agents, was used to gather data. Results. The research included 1230 Guineans in total. The bulk of respondents (60%) were familiar with COVID-19. Only 44% of respondents under the age of 29 had a clear understanding of COVID-19. Male participants knew more about COVID-19 than female ones (P=0.003). The majority of participants (82%) had negative attitudes toward COVID-19, while 61% reported positive practices linked to COVID-19 measures. In this research, being female was a risk factor for poor knowledge of COVID-19 (P0,001), and being single was a risk factor for negative attitudes toward COVID-19 (P=0,009). Conclusion. Appropriate measures should be taken to increase public awareness and improve general practice of preventive measures aimed at reducing the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19.