Practices of General Public Towards Personal Protective Measures During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Pakistan is in the midst of the corona pandemic. In the absence of definite treatment or vaccines, the outcome of this pandemic depends highly on the public's behavior. Objective: To assess awareness and practices of Pakistani public towards personal protective measures during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was distributed through email and social media platforms to the members of the public. Convenience sampling was employed. The questionnaire recorded the participant's demographic details and contained questions that assessed awareness and practice of preventive measures. Data analysis was done on IBM SPSS 20 and presented in frequency and percentages. Chi square test was done to find associations between variables. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: We received responses from 418 Pakistanis of varying socioeconomic backgrounds. Majority of the Pakistanis followed the WHO's guidelines for hand hygiene. About 2.4% of the respondents reported that a member of their household had been diagnosed with COVID-19 while only 4.3% had gotten themselves tested for COVID-19. Uncertainty about the effectiveness of saline against coronavirus was prevalent in our region (33.7%). Statistically significant association was found between different age groups and misconception about rinsing nose with saline (p=0.036). Practice of self-isolation showed significant association with gender and age groups (p= 0.047, 0.01). Conclusion: Majority of the public showed adherence to the WHO health recommendations for COVID-19. Nevertheless, educating the public about COVID-19 prevention efforts will improve community participation during the ongoing pandemic.