Xue-Lian Wu1, George N Chidimbah Munthali2. 1. School of Economics and Management, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, People's Republic of China. 2. Finance Department, Mzuzu University, Luwinga Malawi; Chidimbah Research Centre, Mzuzu, Malawi.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The study aimed to find out about the knowledge, attitudes, and preventative practices of COVID-19 among international students in China during the pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-section survey was conducted among 300 international students from 13 different universities in Hubei province of China between March and April 2020 which relied upon convenience sampling method. RESULTS: Out of 300 respondents, 153 (51%) of the respondents were female students, of which the majority were single, undergraduate students who were doing medicine (163, 54.3%) and engineering programs (68, 22.7%). The majority of international students had an impressive knowledge on the causes, risks, and spread of COVID-19, and that they were no misconception of the pandemic 229 (76%) to 281 (98%) respectively. These students also demonstrated a markedly positive attitude towards the virus and a feeling that they were almost completely safe being in China (264, 84%). Variations were found on Knowledge scores in age group (P<0.01) and majors (P=0.025), attitude scores on major of study (P=0.015), and experience (P<0.01). Furthermore, the results revealed that all the students (300, 100%) adhered to and practiced set preventive measures against COVID-19 and that there was a positive correlation between attitudes and preventative practices (r=0.219, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: This study found that social media platform was contributing enormously towards information dissemination and Chinese universities were commended for their continuous notifications on COVID-19 which helped students to have full knowledge. This, in turn, was instrumental in helping students to form good attitudes and practices towards COVID-19.
PURPOSE: The study aimed to find out about the knowledge, attitudes, and preventative practices of COVID-19 among international students in China during the pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-section survey was conducted among 300 international students from 13 different universities in Hubei province of China between March and April 2020 which relied upon convenience sampling method. RESULTS: Out of 300 respondents, 153 (51%) of the respondents were female students, of which the majority were single, undergraduate students who were doing medicine (163, 54.3%) and engineering programs (68, 22.7%). The majority of international students had an impressive knowledge on the causes, risks, and spread of COVID-19, and that they were no misconception of the pandemic 229 (76%) to 281 (98%) respectively. These students also demonstrated a markedly positive attitude towards the virus and a feeling that they were almost completely safe being in China (264, 84%). Variations were found on Knowledge scores in age group (P<0.01) and majors (P=0.025), attitude scores on major of study (P=0.015), and experience (P<0.01). Furthermore, the results revealed that all the students (300, 100%) adhered to and practiced set preventive measures against COVID-19 and that there was a positive correlation between attitudes and preventative practices (r=0.219, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: This study found that social media platform was contributing enormously towards information dissemination and Chinese universities were commended for their continuous notifications on COVID-19 which helped students to have full knowledge. This, in turn, was instrumental in helping students to form good attitudes and practices towards COVID-19.
Authors: George N Chidimbah Munthali; Xuelian Wu; Mastano Nambiro Woleson Dzimbiri; Amon Zolo; John K B Mushani; Lazarus Obed Livingstone Banda Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2022-05-31 Impact factor: 4.135
Authors: Anna Stefanowicz-Bielska; Magdalena Słomion; Joanna Stefanowicz Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-11-19 Impact factor: 3.390