A total of 272 respondents have completed the online questionnaire. The age range of the participants was 21–57 years, with the highest range were in the 31-40 category of age (112,41.1%).
Table 1 summarizes the sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents. Males 167 (61.4%) were more predominate than females 105 (38.6%). The study group included 78 (28.7%) nurses, 69 (25.3%) physicians, 39 (34.2%) pharmacists, and 32 (11.8%) other health care workers.
The majority of respondents 148 (54.4%) were from the western part of Libya, followed by 89 (32.7%) and 35 (12.9%) from the eastern and southern region, respectively. Most of the health care workers 242 (89.3%) perceived that they had adequate knowledge about COVID-19. The main sources of COVID-19 information were the international health websites 112 (41.2%) and social media 72 (26.5%).
Table 1: Baseline characteristics of health care workers (n=272)
Characteristics
|
Frequency
|
Percentage
|
Gender
Male
Female
|
167
105
|
61.4
38.6
|
Age (years)
21 – 30
31 – 40
40 – 50
> 50
|
86
112
39
35
|
31.7
41.1
14.4
12.8
|
Occupation
Nurse
Physician
Dentist
Pharmacist
Medical lab specialist
Medical technician
|
78
69
9
93
12
11
|
28.7
25.3
3.3
34.2
4.4
4.1
|
Place of residences
West of Libya
East of Libya
South of Libya
|
148
89
35
|
54.4
32.7
12.9
|
Do you have sufficient knowledge COVID-19?
Yes
No
|
243
29
|
89.3
10.7
|
Source of knowledge about COVID-19
Social media
Ministry of Health website
TV
Medical journal or newspaper
International health websites e.g. (WHO, CDC)
|
72
11
43
34
112
|
26.5
4
15.8
12.5
41.2
|
Table 2 exhibited the existing status of COVID-19 knowledge among health care workers. The majority, 263 (96.7%), were aware that the disease is a viral infection. A majority of participants (91%) in the eastern region knew that the COVID-19 is transmitted by close contact with infected person or animal. All participants knew that fever, cough and shortness of breath are symptoms of COVID-19. Only 39.9%, 23.6% and 31.4% of the participants answered the question ‘incubation period is 2–4 weeks’ correctly in western, eastern, and southern region in Libya, respectively.
On comparing the knowledge about the antibiotics are the first‐line treatment for COVID-19, the participants in eastern region showed non-significantly more awareness than other regions (91%, p = 0.964). On the other hand, around 260 (95.6%) of respondents affirmed that COVID-19 can be life-threatening disease.
Table 2: Knowledge about COVID-19 among health care workers
Geographic Region in Libya
|
P value
|
Question (correct answer)
|
Western No (148)
|
Eastern No (89)
|
Southern No (35)
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
COVID is a viral infection (Yes)
|
NO.
|
145
|
3
|
87
|
2
|
31
|
4
|
0.966
|
%
|
97.9
|
2.1
|
97.7
|
2.3
|
88.5
|
11.5
|
COVID is transmitted by close contact with infected person or animal (Yes)
|
NO.
|
132
|
16
|
81
|
8
|
28
|
7
|
0.091
|
%
|
89.2
|
10.8
|
91
|
9
|
80
|
20
|
Fever, cough and shortness of breath are symptoms of COVID (Yes)
|
NO.
|
272
|
0
|
272
|
0
|
272
|
0
|
-
|
%
|
100
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
The incubation period is 2–4 weeks (No)
|
NO.
|
89
|
59
|
68
|
21
|
24
|
11
|
0.959
|
%
|
60.1
|
39.9
|
76.4
|
23.6
|
68.6
|
31.4
|
Antibiotics are the first‐line treatment (No)
|
NO.
|
22
|
126
|
8
|
81
|
11
|
24
|
0.964
|
%
|
14.9
|
85.1
|
9
|
91
|
31.4
|
68.6
|
Washing hands with soap and water can help in prevention of
disease transmission (Yes)
|
NO.
|
272
|
0
|
272
|
0
|
272
|
0
|
-
|
%
|
100
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
Patients with underlying chronic diseases are at a higher risk of infection (Yes)
|
NO.
|
272
|
0
|
272
|
0
|
272
|
0
|
-
|
%
|
100
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
Health care workers are at a higher risk of infection (Yes)
|
NO.
|
272
|
0
|
272
|
0
|
272
|
0
|
-
|
%
|
100
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
COVID could be fatal (Yes)
|
NO.
|
143
|
5
|
86
|
3
|
31
|
4
|
0.966
|
%
|
96.6
|
3.4
|
96.6
|
3.4
|
88.6
|
11.4
|
As shown in Table 3, several items gained agreement amongst the participants. About 91.6% of male and 96.2% of female contributors agreed that COVID-19 is a dangerous disease. All participants agreed that the transmission of COVID can be prevented by using standard and isolation precautions given by the health care authorities. Around 91% of male and 82.9 of female participants agreed that COVID-19 can be reduced by active participation of health care worker in hospital infection control programme. However, only 63.5% of males and 72.4% of females agreed to take COVID-19 vaccine if were available.
There was difference among participants that intensive treatment should be given to diagnosed patients. By comparing males and females, the males (64.7%, P ≤ 0.05) showed significantly better attitude toward the intensive treatment for COVID-19 infected patients than females (33.3%). In addition, most participants had good attitude toward the adequate information about COVID-19 in Libyan society sufficient. However, males had better attitude towards the available information about COVID in Libyan society sufficient (59.9) than females (55.2%). About 39.5% of male and 15.2% of female respondents felt that the government institutions able to control the epidemic.
Table 3: Attitude of health care workers toward COVID-19
Item (correct answer)
|
Male
N=167
|
Female
N=105
|
P value
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Do you think that COVID-19 is a dangerous disease?
|
NO
|
153
|
14
|
101
|
4
|
0.885
|
%
|
91.6
|
8.4
|
96.2
|
3.8
|
Transmission of COVID can be prevented by using standard and isolation precautions given by CDC, WHO, APIC, etc? (Yes)
|
NO
|
167
|
0
|
105
|
0
|
-
|
%
|
100
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
Prevalence of COVID can be reduced by active participation of health care worker in hospital infection control programme? (Yes)
|
NO
|
152
|
15
|
87
|
18
|
0.635
|
%
|
91
|
9
|
82.9
|
7.1
|
If a COVID vaccine were available, would you have it?
|
NO
|
106
|
61
|
76
|
29
|
0.681
|
%
|
63.5
|
36.5
|
72.4
|
27.6
|
Intensive treatment should be given to diagnosed patients? (Yes)
|
NO
|
108
|
59
|
53
|
52
|
0.023*
|
%
|
64.7
|
35.3
|
33.3
|
66.7
|
Health care workers must avail themselves of all information about the virus? (Yes)
|
NO
|
167
|
0
|
105
|
0
|
-
|
%
|
100
|
0
|
-
|
0
|
Is the available information about COVID in Libyan society sufficient?
|
NO
|
100
|
67
|
58
|
47
|
0.779
|
%
|
59.9
|
40.1
|
55.2
|
44.8
|
Are the government institutions able to control the epidemic?
|
NO
|
66
|
101
|
16
|
121
|
0.393
|
%
|
39.5
|
60.5
|
15.2
|
48.8
|
CDC = Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO = World Health Organization, APIC = Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. All respondents answered either yes or no. There were no missing values or don’t know responses.