Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic Outburst: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Study of the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Undergraduate Students at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Tamil Nadu.

backgroundThe novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly transmissible infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) affirmed COVID-19 as a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. During the first wave of the pandemic, >150 million children and adolescents in 165 countries were impacted. A major concern of the WHO was to rapidly identify the cases, perform the diagnostic tests, and conduct regular follow-ups to prevent further transmission. The objective of the present web-based survey was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to COVID-19 among undergraduate students at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Tamil Nadu during the third wave and to compare KAP levels between medical and non-medical students, as well as evaluate gender-based differences. METHODOLOGY: The present web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among medical and other allied health sciences undergraduate students studying at SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Chengalpattu, India. A dichotomous questionnaire containing 24 questions was validated, and written informed consent was obtained from all the study participants. The study was carried out in the last week of January 2022 during the third wave of the pandemic. The present cross-sectional survey showed that basic questions regarding KAP related to the COVID-19 infection were included to test the undergraduates' opinion about the protocol. Study participants were selected using a simple random sampling method, and the required sample size for this study was 631.

resultsOut of 728 participants, 343 (47.11%) were males and 385 (52.88%) were females. Of the total study participants, 358 (49.17%) were medical undergraduates, while 370 (50.82%) were selected from other allied health sciences, categorized as non-medical students. In the current study, 5273 (80.48%) of the participant responses indicated a substantial understanding about the COVID-19 infection. In the attitude section, 5466 (83.48%) of the accurate replies from the survey participants indicated a favorable disposition towards the highly infectious disease. The practice part indicated that 4158 (95.19%) of the responses from the study population demonstrated commendable practices for the COVID-19 infection. The study emphasizes that the public strictly adhere to the COVID-19 prevention protocol to control the spread of the infection.

conclusionIt is crucial to emphasize to the undergraduate students studying at a tertiary care teaching hospital about the importance of vaccination against COVID-19 and booster doses to keep the infection under control. Caution should be taken against new variants of SARS-CoV-2 and their mode of transmission. Viral genomic sequencing and treatment-resistant strains might endanger the global public health in the future, and it is essential to keep a check on the virulent strains at regular intervals to protect the nation against COVID-19.