The Knowledge, Perception and Practices regarding the Novel COVID-19 among Undergraduate Clinical Dental Students in Nigeria.

Olatosi, O; Nzomiwu, C L; Oyapero, A; Onyejaka, N K; Ejiegbu, T A

BACKGROUND Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID -19), is an infectious disease that has become a major public health emergency of international concern. It is necessary that Nigerian dental students have adequate knowledge about prevention/control of COVID-19 pandemic in dental practice. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and perception about COVID-19 among Nigerian dental students and its impact on their academic life. MATERIAL AND METHODS A web-based questionnaire assessing knowledge and perception with a total of 46 scoreable responses was created using Survey Monkey, an online survey tool. We surveyed 178 out of 507 clinical dental students attending the 10 dental schools. Bivariate analysis was conducted to test the association between students' age, gender and knowledge and perception of COVID 19 infection. Logistic regression was also conducted to determine the predictors of having good knowledge of COVID 19. The effect of all significant factors was inferred at P< 0.05. RESULTS The mean knowledge score of the dental students about infection control and COVID-19 was 32.19 (SD: 7.30, Range: 2-46). Knowledge scores significantly differed across genders, age-groups, class levels, university of study, previous lectures on infection prevention and control and risk-perception. The linear regression analysis showed that male gender (vs. female, β: 0.242, P<0.001), age-group of 18-24 years (vs. 45-54years, β: -0.305, P<0.001), class level 600 (vs. 500 level, β: -0.154, P<0.001), previous lectures on infection prevention and control (vs. no lecture, β: -0.186 , P=0.007), and a high-risk perception of COVID-19 ( vs. low-risk perception, β: 0.220, P=0.001) were significantly associated with higher knowledge scores. CONCLUSION The students were knowledgeable about mode of transmission, complications and diagnosis of COVID-19 but had limited understanding of the extra precautionary measures against COVID-19. These results imply that there is a need for an update of the infection prevention and control curriculum for dental students and improved quality assurance.