Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Psychological Response Towards COVID-19 Pandemic Among General Public in India

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the knowledge, attitudes, practices and psychological response of the people towards the ongoing novel COVID-19 pandemic crisis. We conducted an online self-administered cross-sectional study. Participants filled in two questionnaires, one measuring KAP towards COVID-19, and the other measuring psychological impact towards COVID-19 using GAD-7 questionnaire. The total sample size of participants was 1015, of whom 668 belongs to the 20-40 years age group. Around 69% of the respondents are aware of the clinical symptoms of COVID-19. And about 98% of the respondents believe that quarantine and self-isolation are the best way to contain the spread of COVID-19. Around 90%-92% of the participants have an optimistic, positive attitude and confidence that we will win the battle against COVID-19. The study revealed that majority of the respondents had positive psychological resilience to cope with the pandemic. This study gains importance amid the global lockdown, social-distancing and quarantine. Finally, this study emphasis on the need for a structured mental health support system, which focuses on the unprecedented challenge for mental health across the country due to COVID-19 pandemic. The international and national health care regulatory bodies should devise an effective strategy to combat COVID-19. A positive mental health attitude and early psychological interventions can help us to combat COVID-19.