ABSTRACT

This study aims to evaluate medical students’ knowledge, thoughts, and awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A questionnaire consisting of 31 questions was prepared for this descriptive study. In the questionnaire, medical students’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic were investigated. Categorical variables are demonstrated as numbers and percentages, whereas continuous variables are presented as minimum, maximum, and mean values.

A total of 575 participants completed the questionnaire. The mean participant age was 21.7 years. Fifty-two percent of participants knew about the coronaviridae family before the outbreak and 38.8% were informed about COVID-19 in their medical schools. Of the students, 99.7% stated that the first case’s origin was in China. Eighty percent of the participants stated that droplet spread is the transmission route of COVID-19. The most common opinion about the incubation period of the SARS CoV-2 was two to twelve days. Being older than 65 years old, having a comorbidity, being immunosuppressed, or working in the healthcare sector were the most particular risk factors to get infected. The majority of the participants follow the vaccine developments from social media, radio and television. According to 75.83% of the participants, all people should wear a mask in daily life for protection.

The epidemiology and diagnostic factors of COVID-19 are well known by medical students. To minimize information pollution and raise awareness, medical students should be educated about pandemic and management of it. Further evaluation with various methods and more participants may help to better understand the awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic in medical students.

Keywords: COVID-19, SARS CoV-2, medical student, pandemic