Parents' knowledge, attitude, and practices towards COVID-19 in children: A Lebanese cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Introduction: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a serious public health crisis, can affect all ages, even children. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practices of parents living in Lebanon towards the COVID-19 in children.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between June and July 2021, targeting parents living in Lebanon. The questionnaire was divided into 4 parts: socio-demographic, knowledge, attitude, and practices. A score was calculated to evaluate parents' knowledge towards COVID-19 in children. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted. Then, determinants of COVID-19 knowledge were assessed using multivariable linear regression. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: A total of 429 parents were included. The mean knowledge score was 11.28 ± 2.19 out of 15. Knowledge was significantly lower among older (p = 0.022), and single parents (p = 0.035), who don't know if COVID-19 is a serious disease (p < 0.001) and if it will be successfully controlled (p = 0.007), and higher among female parents (p = 0.006). The majority of parents had a positive attitude and good practices towards COVID-19 in children, but 76.7% of them were worried about their child getting coronavirus. About 66.9% of parents expressed their willingness to vaccinate their kids when a vaccine would be available for them, and 66.2% answered that they are sending or willing to send their children to the school or the nursery.

Conclusions: Parents' knowledge about COVID-19 in children was good, but remains lower among older and single parents. Health authorities should conduct awareness campaigns to target specific groups of parents who lacked critical knowledge about COVID-19 in children.