Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Knowledge and Perceptions: A Survey of Dental students in King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
Author(s): M Zakirulla*, Turki Saeed F AlQarni, Raad Abdullah S Alshehri, Abdulrahman Ahmed M Ismail, Sami M Alawwad, Safar Mohammed Abdullah, Moath Nasser M Assiri, Majed Ali A Jathmi, Abdullah Mohammed A Alshahrani, Fahd Hassan S Almotheby, Abdulrahman Mohammed A Alshehri, Abduraheem Raqi Ali Alhasanyyah, Abdulbari Abdullah S Alharbi and Abdullah Mohammed Ali Assiri
Abstract
Background: This study was to investigate to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions among dental students about novel COVID-19 infection in the College of Dentistry, King Khalid University.
Materials and Methods: The current cross-sectional study consists of Sample of 400 (248 males and 152 females) dental students and interns in College of Dentistry King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Written informed consent was being obtained from the participants after explaining them the purpose of the study. Sampling method was including a simple random sampling method. A self-administered questionnaire is designed to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions of dental students about COVID-19 infection. Data were collected and analyzed.
Results: 6.9% of study subjects were of <20 years, 86% were of 20-25 years, 7% were 26-30 years, and 0% were >30 years. 248 (62.4%) and 152 (37.6%) were males and females, respectively for the total study samples. More than half of the subject (54%) said that they had attended lectures/discussions about novel coronavirus (CoVID-19). Also, 94.5% know that the incubation period of COVID-19 is 1-14 days; 72% felt that about recommended 40 seconds of hand-soap cleaning time would prevent COVID-19 transmission; 80% agreed that flu vaccination is sufficient for avoiding COVID-19.
Conclusions: This study concludes that the amount of Knowledge about COVID-19 amongst the Saudi dental surgeons was relatively satisfactory. Different kinds of awareness seminars and training programs should be conducted at the local level to improve the Knowledge and perceptions among dental surgeons. Educational interventions are urgently needed, and further studies are warranted.