Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice toward COVID-19 among the Public in Kashan, Iran: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Aims: The goal of this study is the rapid assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of Kashan's residents toward COVID-19. Materials and Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study and conducted among Kashan's residents (a city in Isfahan, Iran) in 2020. The sample size was estimated to be 380. A four-part questionnaire including demographic data (7 questions), participants' knowledge (3 multiple-choice questions), attitudes (6 multiple-choice questions and five-point Likert scale), and practices (2 multiple-choice questions) was used to collect the data. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, Kendall and Cramer's V by SPSS software. Results: Six hundred and fifteen participated in the study. Findings showed that more than 80 knew about symptoms and more than 85 had proper information about ways of preventing. Regarding the attitude toward prevention, 96.2 of the residents considered themselves responsible for caring. Government and municipal officials (64.5) and health authorities (53.9) were in the next ranks. About practice, 90 of the respondents mentioned using disinfectants, staying at home, observing hand hygiene, and avoiding being in crowded places as preventive measures. Majority of people agreed with prohibition of all public gatherings in the city. Conclusion: This study can be a step toward planning and effective interventions by policymakers in infectious diseases such as COVID-19.