Knowledge, Practices and Attitude of Healthcare Providers about Using Face Mask to Limit the Spread of the Novel Coronavirus Disease
Nehad J. Ahmed
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
Omar S. Alanazi
College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
Abeer A. Alzahrani
The Jordanian Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Co. JPM, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Rana E. Alonazi
Research Assistant Qualification Program in King Saud University Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: There is evidence that health care providers have insufficient knowledge and poor practices regarding the use of surgical mask. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the knowledge, practices and attitude of healthcare providers about using face mask in order to limit the spreading of the novel coronavirus disease.
Methodology: This was a cross sectional pilot study included a questionnaire about the knowledge of health care workers regarding the use of surgical face mask to prevent the new COVID-19 spreading and about their practices and the attitude of them regarding the use of surgical face mask to limit the new COVID-19 exposure.
Results: About 86.21% of health care workers said that the correct way of using surgical face mask is White side facing in and about 65.52% of them said that N-95 mask is the mask type that actually protect against COVID-19. All of the respondents reported that they wear a mask in public places to protect themselves against COVID-19 and that they wear a mask in hospital premises to protect themselves against COVID-19 (100.00%).
Conclusion: The Knowledge, attitude, and practice of health care providers regarding the use of surgical face masks were found to be good but still more knowledge is required about several aspects such as the types of masks, the duration of using masks and the disposal of the masks.
Keywords: Attitude, face mask, healthcare providers, knowledge; Novel Coronavirus disease, practices