COVID-19 Routes of Transmission, Protection Aids, and Immunity Enhancement: Community-Based Online Knowledge Survey Among Palestinians

Abstract

AIM: Coronavirus disease in 2019 has been defined as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge toward the coronavirus disease 2019 among the Palestinian population. METHOD: A cross-sectional online survey among 554 Palestinians was designed. A structured self-administered online questionnaire was distributed among 190 participants from West Bank and 364 from Gaza Strip during the outbreak through social media. The survey was conducted between 10th and 24th of October, 2020. RESULTS: Of the total enrolled participants, 401 were males and 153 were females; the mean age was 28.4 years with a standard deviation of 10.97. Results showed that the means of knowledge about coronavirus disease 2019 were: 76.7% (standard deviation=12.8), 72.2 (standard deviation=10.3), 77.7% (standard deviation=11.0) for general knowledge, the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019, and immunity and protection aids, respectively. Univariate regression revealed significant associations among the level of knowledge and gender, governorates, education levels, and employment status. However, only gender remained a significant explanatory variable in multivariable analysis, as females were nearly four times more knowledgeable than males (OR=3.94; 95% CI =1.71, 9.07; p=.001). CONCLUSION: In general, Palestinians had good knowledge about coronavirus disease 2019, modes of transmission, and immunity knowledge. Knowledge was less among males than females. This may need more effort by using different tools of communication to reach more to the male gender