Perception of risk in view of COVID-19 in an urban community of Sancti Spíritus

Abstract

Background: the COVID-19 pandemic has generated unprecedented effects in all countries. Despite the high virulence, rapid transmissibility and frequent complications, there have been behaviors in the population that reflect a low perception of risk, making the epidemiological situation more complex.

Objective: to assess the level of knowledge and the perception of risk in view of COVID-19, in the urban population of the Policlínico Sur, municipality of Sancti Spíritus, province of the same name, from August through October 2020.

Methods: a descriptive, longitudinal, prospective study was carried out in the urban doctor’s offices of the polyclinic and during the period of time stated in the objective. We worked with a sample of 270 contacts or suspects of carrying the disease, selected by intentional sampling. A questionnaire of open questions was applied to them to establish the level of knowledge and perception of risk of COVID-19.

Results: the most frequent ones were: female (54,8 %); the 38 to 47 (38,8 %) and 48 to 57 (21,1 %) age groups years; pre-university (41,4 %) and university (38,1 %) graduates; with an employment relationship (45,9 %). Arterial hypertension (26,2 %) was the chronic noncommunicable disease with the highest incidence. The level of knowledge of the disease was moderately adequate in 80,3 % of the cases, but the perception of risk was low for 90,7 % of the sample.

Conclusions: the levels of inadequate or moderately adequate knowledge of COVID-19 coincide with a low perception of risk about it.