Knowledge, attitudes and preparedness to respond to COVID-19 among the border population of northern Thailand in the early period of the pandemic: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand is a site of many people travelling among nearby countries and areas, including Yunnan province, China. In February 2020, there was concern about the population's vulnerability to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 15 villages less than 10 km from a border. A questionnaire was developed and tested for reliability and validity; 48 questions covered participant characteristics, plus knowledge about, attitudes to and preparedness for COVID-19. Chi-squared tests were used to detect any significant association between variables. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the possible association of various factors with participants' level of reported knowledge, attitudes and preparedness. Results: = 3.18; 95% CI = 1.06-9.51) were better prepared. Conclusion: Effective communication of essential, accurate and up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 prevention and control is essential in this population - especially for men, older age groups and those lacking formal education.

Cite this work

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 112 citations exist upstream.