Vol. 11, Special Issue 11 (2022)

Author(s):
Samir Ranjan Dash, Biswa Ranjan Pattanaik, Sangram Paramguru, Kankan Kumar Biswas, Susmita Panda and Rosalin Das

Abstract:
A cross-sectional study was conducted during the month of Nov – Dec,2021 among the tribal communities, in Malkangiri district taking, a total sample of 120 tribal people through a multi-stage random sampling method. Respondents were chosen at random from four tribal villages, comprising two blocks of the Malkangiri district to assess their knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding the new pandemic disease COVID 19. By gender, pluralities of the participants were aware about COVID 19 (F 92.5%, M 90.2%). The study revealed that majority of the respondents (94.2%) had sufficient knowledge and they were aware about COVID 19 as “a virus that can cause disease”. Most of the respondents were aware about the most common perceived mode of transmission of this disease and almost (68.9%) respondents selected “contact with droplets from an infected person by sneezing or coughing” as a mean of transmitting the virus. It was revealed from study that, male respondents had a greater knowledge gap about isolation of the affected patient (35.3%) than female respondents (27.3%) and female participants had a higher inclination (96.0%) than male respondents to wash hands regularly with alcohol-based sanitiser or soap/water as a preventive step against becoming infected with COVID 19. The study discovered no significant differences in the practice of keeping social distance between the two groups of illiterate and literate participants. It is worth to highlight that the practice of wearing a mask, practicing of social distancing was high among female participants. Degree of acceptance and practicing of all preventative measures to contain COVID 19 by female respondents was greater than male respondents. The relationship between literacy level and the participants' willingness to adopt immunization measures was determined to be non-significant. About maintaining isolation and social distancing, more proportion of female respondents (16.0%) shown positive responses compared to male respondents (7.1%). The study found that the participants' knowledge levels were satisfactory, but that their practice of COVID 19-appropriate activities might be improved by careful behavioral adjustments through successful communication and understanding and adopting proper initiatives to contain the deadly COVID 19 pandemic disease.