Knowledge, risk perceptions, and preventive behaviours among undergraduate students in Selangor amidst the Covid-19 transition: an observational study

The emergence of COVID-19 in 2019 marked one of the most devastating pandemics in recent history, leading to widespread infections and fatalities globally. In response to efforts to mitigate its impact, people were enlightened through various channels about the new disease and necessary preventive measures, prompting a significant lifestyle shift to scale down the transmission. This study determines the level of knowledge knowledge, risk perception, and preventive behaviors among undergraduate students at a public university in Selangor, Malaysia during the endemic transition phase, which began from 1st April 2022 until 5th May 2023. Method: Employing a cross- sectional design and stratified random sampling method across six medical and health sciences courses, questionnaires were distributed via email to selected 531 participants. Statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS version 27.0, utilizing Pearson correlation, independent t- tests, and One-Way ANOVA to examine associations between variables. Results: The study revealed mean scores of 29.50 ± 2.2 for knowledge, 35.60 ± 0.2 for risk perception, and 31.55 ± 6.6 for preventive behavior. Gender showed significant associations with both risk perception (t: - 2.6, p: .011) and preventive behaviour (t: -3.0, p: .004), while educational background was significantly correlated with preventive behaviour. Risk perception was significantly associated with both knowledge (r: .124, p: .007) and preventive behaviour (r: .054, p: .241). Conclusions: There are significant associations between COVID-19 risk perception and both knowledge and preventive behaviour. Gender has a significant association with risk perception and preventive behaviour, and educational background has a significant association with preventive behaviour. Unfaltering awareness and proactive engagement in preventive measures are essential to sustaining efforts against the ongoing threat of the pandemic.