Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards COVID-19 among Social Media Users in an Engineering College, South India

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting the global health system profoundly. Various measures have been taken to contain the disease spread. This study was conducted with the aim of assessing the knowledge, attitude and practices in relation to COVID-19 in social media users among college-going students. Methods: A cross –sectional web-based study was conducted among the students of an engineering college in south India. The study questionnaire was adapted from an earlier study which included four segments to collect information regarding socio-demographic details, knowledge, attitude and practices regarding COVID-19. Descriptive statistics was employed and the results were expressed as numbers and percentages. Results: A total of 252 engineering students took part in the study. 251 participants (99.6 %) had knowledge about the symptoms of COVID-19 and 243 (96.4%) participants knew the methods of transmission of the virus. With regard to the attitude towards COVID-19, 246 (97.6%) individuals felt that taking adequate precautions will reduce disease transmission, and 179 (71.0%) individuals completely agreed with the government’s decision to implement the lockdown. Regarding practices related to COVID-19, 214 (84.9%) individuals regularly disinfected their hands, 249 (98.8%) respondents wore a mask regularly, and 226 (89.7%) participants adhered to social distancing norms. Conclusion: The respondents in this study who were social media users in an engineering college in south India had fairly good knowledge, displayed a positive attitude and followed responsible practices with regard to COVID-19. Promotion of knowledge and awareness about the right practices related to COVID-19 among the public is necessary to ensure the adoption of effective preventive behaviours.