The relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors to prevent COVID-19 among Mahasakham University students

Abstract

Covid-19 is a disease caused by a novel coronavirus. Symptoms include mild to severe cases. Preventive actions can make slow the spread of illnesses. This study is a descriptive research to study the relationship between knowledge, attitudes and preventive behavior for COVID-19 of the students of Mahasarakham University. The sample group was 381 undergraduate students of Mahasakham University, Academic Year 2021. Sampling by stratified random sampling method, simple sampling, and systematic random sampling. A set of questionnaire focusing on knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors of Covid-19. The reliabilities of the knowledge, attitudes and prevention behaviors were 0.72, 0.87 and 0.76 respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s correlation coefficients. The results showed that the sample group was female, 66.7%, and most of them aged between 18-20 years, representing 56.7%. The knowledge of COVID-19 prevention was in a good level, 96.9%, and the attitudes of COVID-19 prevention were in a good level of 99.2%. Moreover, the behaviors related to COVID-19 prevention were in a good level, 77.7%. The relationship between knowledge, attitudes and behaviors for preventing COVID-19 was positively correlated with COVID-19 prevention behavior (r_s = 0.132, P < 0.01), and the attitude was positively correlated with COVID-19 prevention behavior (r_s = 0.515, P < 0.01) moderate level. In particular, this study can be used as a guideline for considering to promote and prevention of COVID-19 infection within educational institutions.