ISSN 2348-313X (Print) International Journal of Life Sciences Research ISSN 2348-3148 (online) Vol. 9, Issue 4, pp: (63-70), Month: October - December 2021, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
Knowledge, Attitude and Preventive Behavior toward COVID-19 of high school students in Bangkok, Thailand: A study among students in Harrow’s International School Thanan Makarabhirom Harrow International School Bangkok, Thailand.
Abstract: The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has rapidly emerged as a global pandemic that causes millions of deaths worldwide. It is transmitted from person to person by respiratory droplets and could cause fatigue, shortness of breath, and fever Objective: To assess COVID-19 related knowledge, attitude and preventive behavior among high school students in Bangkok, Thailand. Materials and methods: The study was conducted using a cross sectional online survey among Harrow’s students Y12-13. A total of 148 students participated. COVID- 19-related knowledge, attitudes toward COVID-19, and preventive behaviors were assessed. Differences between outcomes and sociodemographic were analyzed through independent t-test and the ANOVA. Preventive behaviors were analyzed by a generalized linear model. Results: The undergraduate students showed a low knowledge about COVID-19, a mean of 6.38 (SD=1.69) questions in a total of 11. However, The result showed a standard level of attitude toward preventive behaviours on COVID-19 with an average score of 47.51 from a score range of 14 to 70 (SD=4.45). Lastly, Preventive behaviours of participants were at a moderate level with an average score of 36.84 from a range from 12 to 60 (SD=3.93). The data showed a statistically significant positive correlation between Attitude towards preventive behaviour on COVID-19 and COVID-19 preventive behavior (r= .351**, p=.01). From a generalized linear model, attitude towards preventive behaviour on COVID-19 (Exp (B) = 0.394, [CI]: 0.212-.485, P < 0.05) and Gender (Exp (B) = 0.203, 95%, [CI]: 0.376- 2.807, P < 0.05) can be a predictive factor for the preventive behaviour of Harrow International school students. Conclusion: The results assessed that Harrow international students had a lower level of COVID-19 general knowledge, but moderate level of attitude and preventive behaviour. Moreover, it indicates that there is a causal relationship between attitude towards COVID-19 and preventive behaviors. Thus, attitudes toward COVID-19 are a major predictive factor of having preventive behaviors. Therefore, school and parents should always build awareness and provide safety to the students and remind students with rules that should be followed to secure them from risking of COVID-19. Keywords: COVID-19, Preventive Behaviour.
1. INTRODUCTION The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) or virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are large enveloped positive-stranded RNA viruses which function for infecting a wide variety of mammalian and avian species.[1] SARS-CoV-2 are closely related genetically to bat-borne-virus from the genus Rhinolophus. The coronavirus genome encodes several structural and some nonstructural proteins which act for viral assembly, morphogenesis, release
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