Understanding of adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and prevention practices toward COVID-19 using a web-based cross-sectional study

Authors

Shafquat Rozi, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Mohiba Ali Khowaja, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Sana Qamar, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Muzna Hashmi, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Naureen Rehman, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Wafa Zehra Jamal, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Aneela Pasha, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Asma Malik, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Hareem Fatima, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Kanza Jiwani, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Sohail Lakhani, Texas A&M University, USA
Fazila Bibi, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Shayan Imran, Aga Khan University
Bilal Ahmed Usmani, Aga Khan UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Department

Medical College Pakistan; Community Health Sciences; Paediatrics and Child Health; Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health; Center of Excellence for Trauma and Emergencies

Abstract

In Pakistan effective border control measures and school closures were implemented after declaration of COVID-19 pandemic. Public awareness campaigns were started to educate public including adolescents. This study aims to assess adolescent's knowledge, attitudes and preventive practices during pandemic in Pakistan. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 328 individuals from October 2021 to February 2022 among school going adolescents aged 10-19 years in Pakistan. An online questionnaire was administered using online platforms. The questionnaire included sections on socio-demographic information, knowledge, attitudes, preventive practices, vaccine practice and information on new COVID-19 variants. Data was analyzed using multiple linear regression method. Among these individuals, mean knowledge scores were 9.64 (3.53), mean attitude score were 4.12 (1.77) and mean preventive practice score were 17 (6.83). Older adolescents exhibited better adherence to preventive measures and support to travel bans and adherence to SOPs during lock down. Multiple linear regression revealed that higher knowledge (β = 0.22, p = 0.03) and positive attitudes (β = 0.92, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with better preventive practices. This indicated that adolescents living in Pakistan have moderate knowledge about COVID-19 pandemic, with positive attitudes towards preventive measures taken by the government. However, there is a need for targeted educational interventions to enhance understanding and adherence to preventive measures among adolescents to better manage the pandemic in near future.

Comments

Pagination is not provided by author/publisher

AKU Student

no

Publication (Name of Journal)

Scientific reports

DOI

10.1038/s41598-024-78999-8

Recommended Citation

Rozi, S., Khowaja, M. A., Qamar, S., Hashmi, M., Rehman, N., Jamal, W. Z., Pasha, A., Malik, A., Fatima, H., Jiwani, K., Lakhani, S., Bibi, F., Imran, S., Usmani, B. A. (2025). Understanding of adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and prevention practices toward COVID-19 using a web-based cross-sectional study. Scientific reports, 15(1).
Available at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_chs_chs/1279