Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 17, 2025
Swabbing the Urban Environment - A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs
Published on: April 9, 2021
An analytical study on the awareness, attitude and practice during the COVID-19 pandemic in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Hadil Alahdal1, Fatemah Basingab2, Reem Alotaibi3
1Biology Department, Princess Norah Bint Abdulrahman University, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
This study found that while Riyadh residents had moderate COVID-19 awareness, their attitudes and practices were generally positive. Improving public health education is crucial for better preparedness during pandemics.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Disease Control
Background:
- Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a pandemic declared by the WHO, spreading via respiratory droplets and contaminated surfaces.
- Saudi Arabia implemented early and strict measures, including public awareness campaigns on transmission, quarantine, and curfew.
- Public awareness remains a critical factor in controlling the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the awareness, attitude, and practice (AAP) of COVID-19 among residents in Riyadh.
- To explore the relationship between AAP and socioeconomic data.
- To identify key information sources for COVID-19.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1767 participants in Riyadh.
- Data collected included awareness levels, attitudes, practices, and socioeconomic factors related to COVID-19.
- Statistical analysis was used to determine correlations and associations.
Main Results:
- 58% of participants had moderate COVID-19 awareness, 95% had high attitude, and 81% had adequate practice.
- Significant positive correlations were found between awareness and attitude (r=0.132) and attitude and practice (r=0.149).
- Gender was associated with both awareness and practice; males had slightly higher awareness, while females demonstrated better practice.
Conclusions:
- Riyadh residents exhibited better attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 than their awareness levels suggested.
- There is a need to enhance public awareness to improve preparedness for epidemic and pandemic situations.
- Comprehensive public health education programs are essential for increasing awareness and knowledge.
Background:
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a new variable of the Coronaviridae family. COVID-19 spreads primarily by contacting the virus either from a COVID-19-infected individual through coughing or sneezing or from COVID-19-contaminated surfaces. On March 12, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced COVID-19 as a pandemic. The government of Saudi Arabia was among the first countries in the world to take quick and serious precautions. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has made the public aware of the virus transmission patterns and the importance of quarantine and curfew. Despite strict measures taken, the awareness of people towards infectious viruses remains the most important factor in limiting the widespread of diseases.
Method:
A cross-sectional survey of 1767 participants, was conducted to explore the awareness, attitude and practice of COVID-19 in relation to socioeconomic data among residents in the city of Riyadh.
Results:
Of all the participants, 58% showed a moderate level of awareness, 95% presented a high attitude and 81% presented an adequate practice regarding COVID-19. Significant positive correlation between awareness-attitude (r = 0.132, p-value < 0.001) and attitude-practice (r = 0.149, p-value < 0.001) were found. The gender of the participants was the only common characteristic significantly associated with both awareness and practice. This study revealed that males showed a slight increase (60%) in the level of awareness compared to female participants (57%), however, when it comes to the practice towards COVID-19, females showed slightly better practice (82%) than males (80%). The World health organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) were the main sources of information.
Conclusion:
Despite the moderate public awareness, their attitude and practice were better. Therefore, public awareness must be improved to be prepared for epidemic and pandemic situations. A comprehensive public health education program is important to increase awareness and to reach sufficient knowledge.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Steps in Outbreak Investigation
02:16Surveys
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:11Observational Studies
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One...
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
01:21Self-Awareness and Its Effects