Knowledge, Awareness, and Practice of Preventive Measures Against COVID-19: A Prospective Observational Study from Pakistan

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly spreading global emergency, causing significant damage to the global economy and health care. Knowledge and awareness are crucial elements in stimulating self-imposed preventive measures.

We evaluated the knowledge and awareness about COVID-19 and the practice of hygiene measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease.

A prospective observational study was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan, between March 01 and March 25, 2020, using a non-probability consecutive sampling technique. All individuals aged 18 years or above were included in the study. The individuals who had no formal education were excluded from the study. A self-reported questionnaire assessing knowledge, awareness, and practices was distributed among the participants.

The mean age ± SD of the study population was 29.11 ± 7.8 years. In our study, 424 (98.6%) participants knew that a virus causes COVID-19, and most were knowledgeable about the disease's transmission mode. Higher education status and the medical profession were associated with the better practice of preventive measures.

We recommend that knowledge about COVID-19 and preventive measures be spread across the country via electronic media.