Perception and awareness of COVID-19 among health science students and staff of Kuwait University: An online cross-sectional study

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is unprecedented. Health science students are the future frontliners to fight pandemics. Awareness and perception toward COVID-19 among health science students and staff at Kuwait University was assessed.

Methods

Between June and July 2020, an online questionnaire was distributed to all students and staff at HCS. The questionnaire was divided into six sections: socio-demography, risk and awareness, preparedness and prevention, source of information, policies, and social stigma.

Results

A total of 592 students and 162 staff completed the questionnaire. The prevalence of self-reported chronic condition among students and staff was 14.0% and 19.1%, respectively. Moreover, self-reported COVID-19 prevalence among students and staff was 2.7% and 1.2%, respectively. Interestingly, 54% of students and 38.3% of staff reported that they knew someone within their immediate social environment who have been/are infected with SARS-CoV-2. Among students, 92.4% wore face mask in indoor places (outside of their home) often/all the time compared to wearing it outdoors (69.3%); whereas, for staff, it was more common to wear it outdoor than in indoor places (75.9% vs. 81.5%). Both students and staff showed greatest deal of trust was in official government press release and consultation with healthcare workers.

Willingness to take COVID-19 vaccine was indicated by 50% of students strongly agreed and an additional 25.8% agreed to taking it. Interest vaccine uptake was lower among staff (28.4% and 34.6% strongly agreed or agreed, respectively). Participants strongly agreed or agreed (72.5% and 19.6% of students as well as 68.5% and 22.2% of staff) that wearing face mask in public should be obligatory. More than 18% of students and staff indicated that they would avoid contact with COVID-19 infected people.

Conclusions

Responses of students and staff were mostly similar and showed that they follow precautionary measures to control spread of COVID-19, understand the viral transmission risk, and willing to raise awareness to reduce social stigma.