IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i7p3767-d530101.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Knowledge and Perception of COVID-19 Pandemic during the First Wave (Feb–May 2020): A Cross-Sectional Study among Italian Healthcare Workers

Author

Listed:
  • Caterina Rizzo

    (Clinical Pathways and Epidemiology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCSS, Viale di Villa Pamphili 100, 00152 Rome, Italy)

  • Ilaria Campagna

    (Multifactorial Disease and Complex Disease Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCSS, Viale di Villa Pamphili 100, 00152 Rome, Italy)

  • Elisabetta Pandolfi

    (Multifactorial Disease and Complex Disease Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCSS, Viale di Villa Pamphili 100, 00152 Rome, Italy)

  • Ileana Croci

    (Multifactorial Disease and Complex Disease Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCSS, Viale di Villa Pamphili 100, 00152 Rome, Italy)

  • Luisa Russo

    (Multifactorial Disease and Complex Disease Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCSS, Viale di Villa Pamphili 100, 00152 Rome, Italy)

  • Sara Ciampini

    (Public Health Service, Local Health Authority Rome 1, Borgo Santo Spirito 3, 00193 Rome, Italy)

  • Francesco Gesualdo

    (Multifactorial Disease and Complex Disease Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCSS, Viale di Villa Pamphili 100, 00152 Rome, Italy)

  • Alberto Eugenio Tozzi

    (Multifactorial Disease and Complex Disease Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCSS, Viale di Villa Pamphili 100, 00152 Rome, Italy)

  • Lara Ricotta

    (Medical Direction, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCCS, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy)

  • Massimiliano Raponi

    (Medical Direction, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCCS, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy)

  • Marta Luisa Ciofi Degli Atti

    (Clinical Pathways and Epidemiology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCSS, Viale di Villa Pamphili 100, 00152 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

Italy was the first country in Europe to face the coronavirus pandemic. The aim of the study was to analyze healthcare workers’ (HCWs) level of information, practice, and risk perception towards COVID-19. We set up a cross-sectional study through SurveyMonkey ® and distributed the link through Facebook and Whatsapp closed groups. The research instrument was a 31 items questionnaire distributed using Facebook and Whatsapp. It was conducted in Italy from February to May 2020. The study participants were general practitioners, pediatricians and other health professionals. A total of 958 participants were included: 320 (33.4%) general practitioners, 248 (25.9%) pediatricians and 390 (40.7%) other health professionals. The highest response rate was from Northern Italy (48.1%), followed by Central Italy (29.9%) and Southern Italy (22.0%). Less than a half (46%) of respondents felt they had a good level of information of COVID-19 case definition and of national prevention guidelines. Respondents reported to have changed their clinical practice; particularly, they increased the use of masks (87.1%, p < 0.001), disinfection and sanitization of doctors’ offices (75.8%, p < 0.001), the use of protective glasses (71.2%, p < 0.001), alcoholic hand solution (71.2%, p < 0.001), and hand washing (31.8%, p = 0.028). HCWs are at high risk of infection; less than a half of them felt adequately prepared to face COVID-19 pandemic, so they need extensive information and awareness of the disease to take adequate precautionary measures, and they are crucial to disseminate good practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Caterina Rizzo & Ilaria Campagna & Elisabetta Pandolfi & Ileana Croci & Luisa Russo & Sara Ciampini & Francesco Gesualdo & Alberto Eugenio Tozzi & Lara Ricotta & Massimiliano Raponi & Marta Luisa Ciof, 2021. "Knowledge and Perception of COVID-19 Pandemic during the First Wave (Feb–May 2020): A Cross-Sectional Study among Italian Healthcare Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-14, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:7:p:3767-:d:530101
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/7/3767/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/7/3767/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Du Huynh, 2020. "Ho Chi Minh City," SpringerBriefs in Regional Science, in: Making Megacities in Asia, chapter 0, pages 87-112, Springer.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ekaterina A. Shashina & Valentina V. Makarova & Denis V. Shcherbakov & Tatiana S. Isiutina-Fedotkova & Nadezhda N. Zabroda & Nina A. Ermakova & Anton Yu. Skopin & Oleg V. Mitrokhin, 2021. "Use of Respiratory Protection Devices by Medical Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-12, May.
    2. Alice Fattori & Anna Comotti & Sara Mazzaracca & Dario Consonni & Lorenzo Bordini & Elisa Colombo & Paolo Brambilla & Matteo Bonzini, 2023. "Long-Term Trajectory and Risk Factors of Healthcare Workers’ Mental Health during COVID-19 Pandemic: A 24 Month Longitudinal Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-14, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shamima Akter & Shafia Shaheen, 2021. "Risk perception and the practices towards covid-19 among the garment workers in Bangladesh," Journal of Community Positive Practices, Catalactica NGO, issue 4, pages 61-85.
    2. Haules Robbins Zaniku & Moses Banda Aron & Kaylin Vrkljan & Kartik Tyagi & Myness Kasanda Ndambo & Gladys Mtalimanja Banda & Revelation Nyirongo & Isaac Mphande & Bright Mailosi & George Talama & Fabi, 2023. "COVID-19-Related Testing, Knowledge and Behaviors among Severe and Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Patients in Neno District, Malawi: A Prospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(10), pages 1-11, May.
    3. Nhung Thi Tuyet Pham & Cuong Huu Nguyen & Huong Thi Pham & Hien Thi Thu Ta, 2022. "Internal Quality Assurance of Academic Programs: A Case Study in Vietnamese Higher Education," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(4), pages 21582440221, December.
    4. Mohamed Abdel-Basset & Reda Mohamed & Attia El-Fergany & Mohamed Abouhawwash & S. S. Askar, 2021. "Parameters Identification of PV Triple-Diode Model Using Improved Generalized Normal Distribution Algorithm," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-23, April.
    5. Huong Thi Trinh & Burra D. Dhar & Michel Simioni & Stef de Haan & Tuyen Thi Thanh Huynh & Tung V. Huynh & Andrew D. Jones, 2020. "Supermarkets and household food acquisition patterns in Vietnam in relation to population demographics and socioeconomic strata: insights from public data," Post-Print hal-02624928, HAL.
    6. Kai Huang & Huan Lei & Zeyu Jiao & Zhenyu Zhong, 2021. "Recycling Waste Classification Using Vision Transformer on Portable Device," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-14, October.
    7. Onesmus Kamacooko & Jonathan Kitonsa & Ubaldo M. Bahemuka & Freddie M. Kibengo & Anne Wajja & Vincent Basajja & Alfred Lumala & Ayoub Kakande & Paddy Kafeero & Edward Ssemwanga & Robert Asaba & Joseph, 2021. "Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding COVID-19 among Healthcare Workers in Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-12, June.
    8. Koki Tachibana & Yugo Nakamura & Yuki Matsuda & Hirohiko Suwa & Keiichi Yasumoto, 2023. "ACOGARE: Acoustic-Based Litter Garbage Recognition Utilizing Smartwatch," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, June.
    9. Hsin-Ling Lee & Kerry S. Wilson & Colleen Bernstein & Nisha Naicker & Annalee Yassi & Jerry M. Spiegel, 2022. "Psychological Distress in South African Healthcare Workers Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis of Associations and Mitigating Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-20, August.
    10. Richard B. Yapi & Clarisse A. Houngbedji & Daniel K.G. N’Guessan & Arlette O. Dindé & Aimé R. Sanhoun & Ariane Amin & Kossia D.T. Gboko & Kathrin Heitz-Tokpa & Gilbert Fokou & Bassirou Bonfoh, 2021. "Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) Regarding the COVID-19 Outbreak in Côte d’Ivoire: Understanding the Non-Compliance of Populations with Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-21, April.
    11. Norhayati Mohd Noor & Ruhana Che Yusof & Mohd Azman Yacob, 2021. "Anxiety in Frontline and Non-Frontline Healthcare Providers in Kelantan, Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-10, January.
    12. Reem Al-Dossary & Majed Alamri & Hamdan Albaqawi & Khaled Al Hosis & Mohammed Aljeldah & Mohammed Aljohan & Khalid Aljohani & Noura Almadani & Bader Alrasheadi & Rawaih Falatah & Joseph Almazan, 2020. "Awareness, Attitudes, Prevention, and Perceptions of COVID-19 Outbreak among Nurses in Saudi Arabia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-16, November.
    13. Giao, Ha Nam Khanh & Ngan, Nguyen Thi Kim & Phuc, Nguyen Pham Hanh & Tuan, Huynh Quoc & Hong, Ha Kim & Anh, Huynh Diep Tram & Nhu, Duong Thi Huynh & Lan, Ngo Thi, 2020. "How Destination Image Factors Affect Domestic Tourists Revisit Intention to Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, Vietnam," OSF Preprints cft6e, Center for Open Science.
    14. Ernest Agyemang & Joseph Awetori Yaro, 2023. "Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perception as Predictors of COVID-19 Safety Practices of Ride-Hailing Operators in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-21, March.
    15. Gun Ja Jang & Ginam Jang & Sangjin Ko, 2021. "Factors Influencing the Preventive Practice of International Students in South Korea against COVID-19 during the Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-10, February.
    16. Tanjim Istiaque Chowdhury & Md Rakibul Hoque & Peter Wanke & Mohammad Zahir Raihan & Md Abul Kalam Azad, 2022. "Antecedents of Perceived Service Quality of Online Education During a Pandemic: Configuration Analysis Based on Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis," Evaluation Review, , vol. 46(3), pages 235-265, June.
    17. Chee Tao Chang & Ming Lee & Jason Choong Yin Lee & Nicholas Chor Teng Lee & Tsu Yin Ng & Asrul Akmal Shafie & Kah Shuen Thong, 2021. "Public KAP towards COVID-19 and Antibiotics Resistance: A Malaysian Survey of Knowledge and Awareness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-20, April.
    18. Zahra Safari & Reza Fouladi-Fard & Razieh Vahidmoghadam & Mohammad Raza Hosseini & Abolfazl Mohammadbeigi & Alireza Omidi Oskouei & Mostafa Rezaali & Margherita Ferrante & Maria Fiore, 2021. "Awareness and Performance towards Proper Use of Disinfectants to Prevent COVID-19: The Case of Iran," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-14, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:7:p:3767-:d:530101. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.