Evaluation of Knowledge and Attitudes of Somali Citizens Living in Ankara Towards COVID-19

English (OpenAlex)

Aim: This study was conducted as descriptive research to assess the knowledge and attitudes of Somali citizens living in Ankara. Subjects and Method The study group consists of people who volunteered to participate in the study, using the non-probability sampling method. The questionnaires were completed in a face-to-face interview between October 2021 and April 2022 and the study was completed with 516 volunteers. Results: The findings showed that the majority of participants had sufficient knowledge about the transmission routes and clinical symptoms of COVID-19 and that they adhered to basic preventive measures such as mask use, hand hygiene, and social distancing. In addition, a significant portion of the participants indicated that vaccination is an effective method of protection against COVID-19 and reported having received the vaccine. Statistically relationships were found between knowledge and attitude levels and variables such as age, gender, marital status (p≤0.05). Conclusion: As a result of the research, it was found that the majority of Somali citizens living in Ankara who participated in the research are sufficiently informed about COVID-19 and have a positive attitude. It is thought that the information, warning, and training programs on COVID-19 to be carried out by the government and/or health authorities will help increase the knowledge of foreign citizens about COVID-19 and support the development of a positive attitude.