Effect of Educational Intervention on Secondary School Students’ Knowledge, Practices and Attitudes Regarding COVID-19

Abstract
Background: Coronavirus pandemic disease 2019 is considered an emerging disease that is highly infectious, caused by coronavirus in December 2019 in Wuhan city, China. Corona virus affected educational process all over the world and led to the schools closures, universities, and colleges, within the middle of March 2020. Aim: Evaluate the effect of educational intervention on secondary school students’ knowledge, practical knowledge and attitudes regarding the COVID-19. Methods: quasi-experimental design was adopted. Purposive sample of 260 students were selected at secondary school students in Sohag City from 20 April to 2 May 2020. The tools utilized in this study consisted of a self-administered questionnaire that contained four parts to assess secondary school students' demographics, knowledge regarding COVID -19, the attitudes toward COVID -19 and reported practice regarding COVID -19 and health education Arabic booklet. The questionnaire was designed using Google forms regarding the COVID-19, and the link of the survey was presented to the respondents via Facebook and WhatsApp groups. Results: A significant difference was found between secondary students' knowledge attitudes, and practices pre and post intervention. Most of students had a poor pretest knowledge and attitude level, which improved after intervention. More than half of them had poor pretest practice levels which improved after educational intervention implementation. Conclusion: It concluded that secondary students' knowledge, attitude, and reported practice improved after exposure to the educational intervention. Educational intervention providing was significantly effective in increasing knowledge level, attitude, and practice among secondary school students regarding COVID-19. Recommendations: Encourage cooperation between educational institutions, medical care providers, and health personnel to educate secondary school students regarding COVID-19.