Open AccessKnowledge, Attitudes, and Practices toward the COVID-19 Pandemic in Tabasco, México
Author(s) -
Sergio Quiroz Gómez,
Marisol Guzman-Moreno,
Armando Miranda-De La Cruz,
Janett Marina Garcia-Hernandez,
Karina Del Carmen Arcos-Castillo,
Jairo David Contrera-Madrigal
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
american journal of health behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.591
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1945-7359
pISSN - 1087-3244
DOI - 10.5993/ajhb.46.1.3
Subject(s) - government (linguistics) , pandemic , psychological intervention , social distance , public health , public relations , environmental health , business , medicine , disease , covid-19 , political science , nursing , infectious disease (medical specialty) , philosophy , linguistics , pathology
Objectives: In this study, we identify knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) of the people of the State of Tabasco (Mexico) as they influence transmission and mitigation of COVID-19. Methods: We used an Internet-based survey (N=1848) from March to July 2021, with a probabilistic sampling stratified by municipalities. Results: Most respondents demonstrated knowledge about the etiology and symptoms of COVID-19 – they assume that anyone can contract the disease, and at least 53.5% knew that the cause is a virus. They believed that it constitutes a problem for their community due to its easy transmission; however, they consider themselves to be only at medium risk. They have adopted preventive measures such as handwashing, staying home, and social distancing; however, when analyzing protecting the community, they refer to other people as having responsibility for preventing disease spread. Conclusions: Interventions focused on social and cultural contexts are required. Sociodemographic and ideological factors influence disinformation, limited interventions, and cognitive dissonance. This type of research contributes to discovering areas of opportunity for government and public health organizations to prioritize practical actions and reduce eventual outbreaks.