Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) pertaining to COVID-19 in Karachi, Pakistan: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Pakistan issued safety measures in an effort to mitigate the rising number of cases, the effectiveness of which depends on people’s response and behavior. This study investigates the knowledge, attitude and practices towards COVID-19 pandemic among residents of Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: An online survey of 764 residents of Karachi was conducted between 15 September and 20 November 2020. Popular social media and authors’ networks with the residents were utilized for the successful recruitment of these responses. A self-developed online KAP questionnaire was developed with 9 questions on knowledge, 7 on attitude, and 5 on practices. Results: Out of 764 participants, 60.6% were female, 37.2% had university degrees and 20.8% were white collar workers. Social media was the most popular information source (52.9%) and a trend to update daily on the news was observed (69.6%). Preventative measures were well known; washing hands with soap and water (97.4%), wearing facemasks (91.5%) and using hand sanitizer (89.4%). Majority (86.7%) were aware of social distancing. Favorable practices were observed; with 83% using masks, 71.6% limiting social interaction, 74% staying at home, 95% ensuring extra hygiene and 73% authenticating information from trusted sources. Conclusion: Most residents of Karachi were knowledgeable regarding mitigation measures and had optimistic attitude and appropriate practices during the initial period of the COVID-19 outbreak. Future interventions in low and middle-income countries ought to prioritize interventions to develop a community-centered approach, targeting vulnerable subgroups in rural areas.