A Peer-Based Educational Intervention Effects on SARS-CoV-2 Knowledge and Attitudes among Polish High-School Students

Maria Ganczak, Oskar Pasek, Łukasz Duda-Duma, Julia Komorzycka, Karol Nowak and Marcin Korzeń
Additional contact information
Maria Ganczak: Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Zielona Gora, 65-417 Zielona Gora, Poland
Oskar Pasek: Student Research Group, University of Zielona Gora, 65-417 Zielona Gora, Poland
Łukasz Duda-Duma: Student Research Group, University of Zielona Gora, 65-417 Zielona Gora, Poland
Julia Komorzycka: Student Research Group, University of Zielona Gora, 65-417 Zielona Gora, Poland
Karol Nowak: Student Research Group, University of Zielona Gora, 65-417 Zielona Gora, Poland
Marcin Korzeń: Department of Methods of Artificial Intelligence and Applied Mathematics, West Pomeranian Institute of Technology, 71-210 Szczecin, Poland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 22, 1-19

Abstract: To support high school students to develop knowledge they need to adhere to control measures during the pandemic, a peer-based educational intervention on SARS-CoV-2 was developed and its impact was evaluated. Multistage random sampling was used. The 50 min peer-based intervention was conducted by final year medical students. Baseline and post-intervention knowledge and attitudes were assessed. Significance was tested by McNemar’s/Wilcoxon rank tests. Of 518 participants (mean age 17.8 years ± 0.43), 81.0% did not receive any school-based education on SARS-CoV-2. After intervention, the knowledge score improved from 65.2% to 81.6%, attitudes from 63.2% to 70.8% (both p < 0.0001). The effect size after the intervention compared to pre-intervention showed moderate improvement of knowledge, but not attitudes (d = 0.46 and d = 0.18, respectively). Pre- and post-intervention, females, students in non-science programs, living in cities < 250,000 inhabitants had lower knowledge, while fewer males, non-science program students, living in smaller cities presented positive attitudes. Before intervention, 67.0% students correctly named SARS-CoV-2 preventive methods and 73.6% were concerned COVID-19 is a serious disease; these improved after intervention (to 80.1% and 86.3%; p < 0.0001). The intervention was not very successful in increasing the intent to vaccinate for COVID-19 (pre-intervention 52.9%, post-intervention 56.4%; p < 0.007). Peer-based teaching for high school students can be effective in increasing SARS-CoV-2 knowledge and awareness. More efforts are needed to improve attitudes and enhance acceptance of vaccination against COVID-19.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; knowledge; attitudes; adolescents; intervention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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