PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Noura Baniyas
AU  - Mohamud Sheek-Hussein
AU  - Nouf Al Kaabi
AU  - Maitha Al Shamsi
AU  - Maitha Al Neyadi
AU  - Rauda Al Khoori
AU  - Suad Ajab
AU  - Muhammad Abid
AU  - Michael Grivna
AU  - Fikri M. Abu Zidan
TI  - COVID-19 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of United Arab Emirates Medical and Health Sciences Students: A Cross Sectional Study
AID  - 10.1101/2021.01.19.427250
DP  - 2021 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 2021.01.19.427250
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/01/19/2021.01.19.427250.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/01/19/2021.01.19.427250.full
AB  - COVID-19 pandemic is the largest unprecedented viral pandemic of the 21st century. We aimed to study the COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among medical and health sciences students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We performed a cross-sectional study between 2nd June and 19th August 2020. The survey was developed using online Survey Monkey. The link was distributed via UAE University to all students and via WhatsApp© groups. The self-administered questionnaire was conducted in English and comprised of two parts: socio-demographic characteristics and KAP towards COVID-19. A total of 712 responses to the questionnaire were collected. 90% (n=695) were under-graduate, while 10% (n=81) were post-graduate students. Majority (87%, n=647) stated that they obtained COVID-19 information from multiple reliable sources. They were highly knowledgeable about COVID-19 pandemic but 76% (n=539) did not recognize its routes of transmission. 63% (n=431) were worried of getting COVID-19, while 92% (n=633)) were worried that a family member could get infected with the virus. 97% (n=655) took precautions when accepting home deliveries, 94% (n=637) had been washing their hands more frequently, and 95% (n=643) had been wearing face masks. In conclusion, participants showed high levels of knowledge and awareness about COVID-19. They were worried about getting infected themselves or their family members, and had good practices against COVID-19.AbbreviationsSARS-CoV-2Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2COVID-19Coronavirus disease 2019HCWHealthcare workersICUIntensive care unitILOInternational Labour OrganizationIFADThe International Fund for Agricultural DevelopmentWHOWorld health organizationFAOFood and Agriculture OrganizationKAPknowledge, attitudes, and practicesUAEUnited Arab EmiratesUAEUUnited Arab Emirates University