3.6 Correlation of demographics with medication recommendation,
influenza and COVID-19 vaccination
The vaccination status against COVID-19 vaccination was significantly
correlated with Education (r = -0.067, p<0.05). The details
can be seen in Table 6 .
Discussion
Understanding the public perception of COVID-19 is crucial for effective
public health management, policymaking, communication, and addressing
the social and economic impacts of the pandemic. It can influence public
health outcomes by affecting peoples’ adherence to preventive measures,
such as wearing masks, social distancing, and vaccination. It can also
impact policymaking decisions and help policymakers develop appropriate
responses to address the social and economic impacts of the pandemic.
Furthermore, understanding the public’s concerns and beliefs can enable
health officials and policymakers to communicate effectively and address
misinformation and rumors that could lead to further confusion and fear
.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, several studies have
examined the public’s perception of the outbreak in Pakistan from
various perspectives. For instance, Khyzar Hayat et al. conducted a
rapid online survey within two weeks of the outbreak to assess the
public’s general knowledge about it in different areas of Pakistan . Ot
her studies by Taaha Muddassir Mirza et al. , Muhammad Arslan Iqbal et
al. , Narendar KUMAR et al. , Saadullah Khattak et al. , Sammina Mahmood
et al. , and Zoya Fatima Rizwan Ladiwala et al. have examined the
Pakistani public’s knowledge, perception, and preventive measures
regarding COVID-19. Muhammad Junaid Tahir et al. have investigated the
attitudes of the Pakistani population toward COVID-19 vaccination. This
rеsеarch aimеd to providе a comprеhеnsivе undеrstanding of thе Pakistani
public’s perception of COVID-19 and thе impact of еducation on thеir
pеrcеption of thе pandеmic.
Concerning sample distribution in this study, age is a critical factor,
as it may influence participant’s level of knowledge and cognitive
abilities; therefore, our findings confirmed the intimate link between
age and knowledge, corroborating with previous studies’ findings .
Furthermore, the large proportion of educated participants in this study
suggests a potential correlation between higher levels of education, and
improved perception and knowledge of COVID-19. Educated individuals are
likely to have higher critical thinking and access to information
resources, resulting in greater awareness, comprehension of health
hazards and preventive measures . Additionally, the fact that the
overwhelming majority of the participants resided in urban areas
suggests that their experience and perception may differ from those
living in rural areas. Moreover, individuals with a higher socioeconomic
status were found to possess greater knowledge about the diseases,
display optimistic attitudes, and engage in reasonable practices to
prevent their spread . Interestingly, no significant association was
observed between gender and perception, susceptibility to complications,
and relationship with influenza, which is opposite to what was mentioned
by Hayat et al. , and Mahmood et al. . These findings suggest that
gender may not significantly determine an individual’s knowledge and
attitudes about COVID-19. However, further research is needed to explore
other potential factors that may influence individuals’ perceptions and
behaviors related to the disease, especially in cities where females
have no right to pursue their high education unless under special
circumstances.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous hypotheses have
emerged regarding its origin. Of particular intеrеst is thе contеntion
that SARS-CoV-2 virus was laboratory еnginееrеd as part of an еffort to
producе an AIDS vaccinе. Another hypothesis suggested that the virus may
have been inadvertently released by a trainee at the Wuhan Institute of
Virology in China. These conjectures have contributed to the notion that
COVID-19 is a laboratory-manufactured bioweapon . In contrast, the
belief that COVID-19 has a bacterial origin, despite its acronym
indicating a viral origin, suggests that a substantial portion of the
population still lacks awareness about the COVID-19 acronym and its
corresponding meaning. The COVID-19 pandemic has also been approached
through a religious lens . Since Pakistan has a predominantly Muslim
population, participants were queried about their perspective on whether
COVID-19 represents a divine punishment. Half of the participants (50%)
affirmed that they believed COVID-19 to be a punishment from God. This
outcome highlights the importance of spirituality in Pakistan.
Furthermore, half the participants (50.2%) believed the virus may have
been transmitted to humans from an animal host. This perspective is
supported by scientific evidence indicating that bats serve as the
primary reservoir hosts of SARS-CoV-2 . However, it does not necessarily
suggest that COVID-19 can directly transmit to humans from animals,
particularly bats. Similarly, a significant proportion (56.7%)
maintained that COVID-19 is nothing more than a toxic gas that solely
affects the respiratory system rather than a microbial organism. These
findings imply that a lack of adequate medical knowledge may impair the
public’s capacity to comprehend scientific news or that the scientific
reports presented on social media may not be sufficiently comprehensible
for general publicity.
Regarding the prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is noteworthy that
as of 12:37 am CEST, 26 April 2023, the World Health Organization has
reported 764,474,387 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 6,915,286
recorded deaths globally . Despite this, a significant majority of the
participants (75.7%) believed COVID-19 could be fatal. Nevertheless, a
minority (33.8%) believed it was not an excessively severe
life-threatening affliction. These outcomes suggest that despite the
high global mortality rate, many individuals may lack awareness of the
fatal effect of COVID-19 or express skepticism regarding the reliability
of global health authorities and statistical data. Taking it all
together suggests that knowledge promotion could contribute to the
relative success of future public health measures enforced in Pakistan.
This research also assessed participants’ knowledge of COVID-19 disease
susceptibility. Based on the results, it is suggested that participants
have linked the severity and life-threatening consequences of COVID-19
with elderly individuals, possibly due to their perception of the higher
vulnerability of this population group. This perception is consistent
with previous studies that have reported higher susceptibility to
COVID-19 in older adults , pregnant women , , or those with chronic
co-morbidities , including cancer and transplantation patients .
However, it is important to note that COVID-19 can affect individuals of
all ages , and younger individuals can also experience severe symptoms
and complications, in particular, mentally and financially . This
highlights the need for continued public health efforts to promote
accurate information about COVID-19 susceptibility, effective prevention
measures, and treatments, particularly among those who may be less
informed or have limited access to information. By raising awareness
about the potential risks of COVID-19 for all age groups and providing
accurate information about prevention and treatment, public health
officials can help to mitigate the spread of the disease and reduce the
incidence of severe complications.
Regarding prophylaxis and preventive measures against COVID-19, most
participants showed an acceptable understanding with high adherence to
preventive measures, including using masks and hand sanitizers to
minimize the risk of infection. In contrast, exceeding half of the
participants have used or recommended specific medications such as
antibiotics and chloroquine or suggested self-protection, despite the
lack of evidence to support these claims, indicating a potential lack of
awareness about the risk and benefits of medications. The findings
obviously indicated the participants have mixed up the use of drugs for
prophylaxis or treatment purposes. This delusion led the participants to
recommend some prescription-required medications, such as antibiotics,
antiviral, anticoagulants, and steroids. Such drugs are intended for
prophylactic use and require specialized medical supervision. The misuse
of such medications can result in severe or even lethal consequences
that could be more harmful than the pandemic itself. These findings
emphasize the critical need to increase participants’ health education
and improve their health knowledge, especially regarding
over-the-counter (OTC) medications and their appropriate use. People
must be educated that non-specialized individuals should not recommend
specific medications to others, and the general public should be aware
of the potential risks and benefits of medications and consult medical
professionals for guidance.
The results suggest that people have a good understanding of the
similarities between COVID-19 and seasonal influenza. They also showed
acceptable knowledge regarding the vaccine priorities. These findings
underscore the importance of targeted health education campaigns to
address vaccine hesitancy and improve public knowledge about the
benefits of COVID-19 vaccination.
Conclusion and limitation
In conclusion, the present study provides valuable insights into the
perception of the Pakistani public regarding various aspects of
COVID-19; the findings highlight the importance of continued public
health efforts to promote and ensure access to effective prevention
measures, particularly in vulnerable populations who may face barriers
to obtaining protective equipment. The study also highlights the
critical demand for sustained public education initiatives that advocate
accurate knowledge about COVID-19 susceptibility, effective prevention
measures, and treatments, especially for less informed people or those
with limited information access.
Furthermore, participants’ knowledge of the disease’s nature, the
causative organism, and the risk of complications showed the experience
accumulated from previous outbreaks, such as SARS and H1N1. These
outcomes will significantly implicate policy development and health
interventions that aim to improve the efficiency of COVID-19 prevention
measures in public.
Nevertheless, some limitations have been claimed to this study,
including the use of an online survey and self-reported data, in which
individuals with no internet access or have discomfort using online
platforms may be excluded, resulting in biased samples, as they might
hold opinions that differ than those who participated. The study also
relied on self-reported data subject to social desirability or recall
bias. Some individuals may provide inaccurate responses based on
socially acceptable behaviors rather than their own beliefs, which may
influence the study’s ultimate conclusion.
Moreover, further research is required to investigate other potential
factors that may influence public perceptions and behaviors toward the
pandemic, especially in regions where females may encounter challenges
to pursue higher education, unless under special circumstances. Less
educated individuals may have implications for the generalizability of
the study findings, as they may have different perceptions and behaviors
toward the COVID-19 pandemic than educated individuals. Therefore, to
ensure the applicability of the findings across various demographic
groups and geographic regions, future studies should consider
incorporating a broader range of populations from different ages, levels
of education, and geographic locations.
DATA AVAILABILITY
STATEMENT
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were
created or analysed in this study.
ETHIC STATEMENT
Not applicable.
References