Knowledge and awareness among physiotherapy students to combat COVID-19: A questionnaire based study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Education

Background:

• COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) spread necessitates robust knowledge among healthcare professionals.
• Understanding the knowledge and awareness levels of physiotherapy students is crucial for effective infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the knowledge and awareness of physiotherapy students regarding COVID-19.
• To identify specific areas of knowledge gaps in combating COVID-19 among physiotherapy students.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 203 physiotherapy students.
• Data was collected via a self-administered questionnaire distributed through WhatsApp using a convenient sampling method.

Main Results:

• Overall, 73.1% of participants showed adequate awareness, with 93% scoring above 60% for good knowledge.
• Significant knowledge gaps were identified in naming the virus (49%), diagnostic measures (41%), and treatment strategies (25.6%).
• High usage of the 'Aarogya Setu' app (91%) and agreement on its utility for social distancing awareness (85%) were noted.

Conclusions:

• Physiotherapy students at MMIPR, MM(DU), Mullana possess substantial knowledge of COVID-19 and its preventive measures.
• Targeted educational interventions are recommended to address identified gaps in knowledge regarding COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics.