RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Research on people's awareness and attitudes in the prevention of Covid19

1. Introduction
The name for the coronavirus is severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been
recognized as the root cause of this epidemic of respiratory problems in
Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, beginning in December 2019. Subsequently,
the disease spread rapidly throughout the country.
The first case of COVID-19 out of China was confirmed in Thailand on 13th
January 2020. World Health Organization (WHO) characterized this disease
as a pandemic on 11th March 2020. Up to now, it has been spread to all
continents other than Antarctica. Until 23rd March 2020, the number of
confirmed infected people and the number of deaths because of this
disease reached 332,930 and 14,510 worldwide, respectively, that shows a
4.3% mortality rate. A risk assessment by WHO declared that there is a very
high level of risk regarding this pandemic, which shows a need for
immediate action (WHO 2020a).
On the other hand, previous pieces of evidence about severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS),
and Ebola showed that public knowledge, attitudes, and perceived risks
have a determining role in controlling the epidemics. It should be
mentioned that several strategies have been established at both national
and local levels in our country and in line with WHO guidelines to improve
people’s knowledge and practices regarding COVID-19. Among these
strategies were the closure of unnecessary businesses, public
transportation, schools, and universities, publishing some preventive
protocols, and educating people through national and local TV programs
and social media.
 Peoples' awareness and attitude toward the pandemic has an integral
function in revealing the society's preparedness to receive behavioral
change measures from the health ministry.
a. The problem statements
 Covid-19 (coronavirus disease – 19) has been spread all over the world,
and Vietnam is not an exception. With an aim to confront and prevent
the pandemic, we need to join hands and take action to address the
issue in the long term. And people's awareness is a key to solve such a
problem.
More specifically, the following research
questions need to be addressed:
1. How much do people aware of covid-19?
2. What are the typical attitudes of people toward Covid-19?
3. How to settle negative reactions and untruthful rumors?
4. What are measures government must take to make people more
aware of the serious problem and join hands to overcome it?
b. A rationale for the research
Knowledge and attitude are related to the degree of fright, panic, and
anxiety, which could further complicate actions to control the pandemic.
Our study aimed to determine the awareness and attitude of the people
toward COVID-19. Our study results could help policymakers devise a
sound policy to control this and future health crises.
Basically, Vietnamese have been aware of implementing all Covid-19
prevention measures well according to premier minister’s indication.
However, there are still a lot of narrow-minded people who have
subjective thinking in performing regulations about limit gathering in
public places, wear medical face mask when going out, and so on. Those
facts bring about such an outraged wave to other people.
c. Statement of the research aims & objectives
The long-term goal of the research is to find out people’s awareness and
attitudes during Covid19
The objective of the current study is to provide a comprehensive review
of literature and practices in relation to the analysis and outline a
conceptual framework. Particularly, the study has the following sub-
objectives:
1. To figure out what people truly know about Covid-19 and their
attitudes
2. To provide a comprehensive review of Covid-19, its root, its level of
spread, and its harm
 3. To comfort people and lead them to think positive
4. To convey the message that “let join hands to address the issue
together”
5. To get who spreading untruthful rumors punished or fined.
The result of this study will be valuable to people in Vietnam as well as
the government in developing better practices for constraint
management and look-ahead scheduling.
d. Hypothesis
In the prevention of the COVID-19 epidemic, in addition to the serious
and drastic participation of the Party committees and authorities at all
levels in implementing solutions to respond to and prevent the
epidemic, the sense of responsibility and the Each individual's self-
discipline is an important factor in preventing and stopping the spread
of disease. Therefore, if people's awareness and attitudes are improved,
the effectiveness of repelling the epidemic will also increase
significantly.
e. Definition of terms
- Corona virus 2019 (Covid-19): is a group of viruses belonging to the
subfamily Coronavirinae in the family Coronaviridae, of the order
Nidovirales. Coronavirus is a single-stranded positive RNA genome with
a spirally symmetrical nucleocapsid. The genome of the Coronavirus is
between 26 and 32 kilobases large.
- WHO: World Health Organization
- Pandemic: the worldwide spread of a new disease
- Epidemic center: is the place heavily affected by the epidemic.
-PCR test: is a molecular biology test (Realtime RT - PCR), which helps to
determine the presence of the virus through the detection of genetic
material of the Sars - CoV - 2 virus. Samples are taken from respiratory
secretions by dedicated sampler.
- Rapid test: is an antigen test that helps detect the presence of virus-
specific proteins present in a patient's respiratory fluid samples
(pharyngeal secretions, respiratory secretions). Antigens will be
detected when the Sars - CoV - 2 virus is multiplying in a certain amount.
- Medical declaration: means people provide personal medical
information to the unit for the purpose of disease control.
 - Negative or Negative: is the medical term used to refer to test results
in medicine. If you get a negative, (-) or negative result, it means you are
not sick or carrying disease in your body.
- Positive or Positive is the case that you have had a disease or are at risk
of getting a disease because of the disease-causing factor in the body.
- Antigens are substances that, when entering the human body, are
recognized by the immune system and produce corresponding
antibodies. This may be a humoral or cellular antibody that specifically
binds or stimulates an immune response to that antigen.
- Antibodies: are substances produced when the human body recognizes
the invasion of foreign organisms. Antibodies will help destroy harmful
bacteria and protect the body. The stronger the body's ability to form
antibodies, the higher the immunity against bacterial infections

f. Summary including a restatement of the problem

The current status of people's awareness and attitudes in the prevention
of COVID-19 needs to be carefully analyzed and studied with a view to
come up with appropriate solutions to help society move towards a
stable and peaceful life as before.
2. A brief review of the relevant literature
a. The importance of the question being asked
If people's awareness and attitudes about disease prevention are not
raised, the COVID-19 epidemic is still at risk of spreading in the
community at a hazardous level. Without the people's awareness and
responsibility, the government's disease prevention and control work
are more difficult, the disease becomes more complicated to control.
b. The current status of the topic
- Vietnam News Agency reports on people's awareness of disease
prevention in Hanoi (August 27, 2021).
“In fact, during this time, the number of people going out on the
street has decreased, most people going out to have valid road
permits. However, there is still the phenomenon of people being
negligent, subjective, and deliberately violating regulations on
epidemic prevention and control.
 During the third phase of isolation, recorded at some checkpoints for
epidemic prevention and control, people's violations were mainly not
wearing masks, not implementing isolation measures, leaving the
house without reason. due to urgency... In particular, there is a
situation of counterfeiting of travel papers, widespread issuance of
road permits, and wrong subjects. Besides, there are still many cases
of being subjective, negligent, disregarding the spread of the disease,
staying at home for a long time, feeling constrained, so go out, find
ways to escape the quarantine points to exercise, go out, gather
friends, eat and drink. Also, according to the reporter's observations,
some roads in Hanoi are still crowded with people, not ensuring the
prescribed distance. Some establishments dealing in non-essential
goods deliberately operate."
- Police Newspaper reported on some lack of awareness in the
prevention of COVID-19 by people in Ho Chi Minh City (June 4, 2021).
On June 3, Mr. Le Xuan Tuan, Chairman of the People's Committee of
Tan Thoi Nhi commune, Hoc Mon district said that he had signed a
decision to sanction an administrative violation of 2 million VND for
Mr. L.V.D. (SN 1956, living in Xuan Thoi Son commune, Hoc Mon
district) about the behavior of not wearing a mask.
Another clip made many people angry about the sense of epidemic
prevention and control of Mrs. N.T.N. (SN 1988, living in Ward 10,
District 4). While the epidemic was spreading in the community, Mrs.
N. entered the Circle K+ store on Ton Dan Street to pay the electricity
bill but did not wear a mask. The staff in the store reminded her, but
Mrs. N. not only did not comply (even though she was holding a
mask) but also raised her voice, forcing the convenience store staff to
invite her out. The store staff called the police of Ward 13".
c. The relationship between literature and problem statement
Articles on the observance of the Prime Minister's directives in the
prevention of COVID-19 help clarify the reality of people's awareness
and attitudes.
d. Summary including a restatement of the relationships between the
importance variables under consideration and how these relationships
are important to the hypothesis proposed in the introduction
 In reality, the COVID-19 epidemic continues to have highly difficult
trends in several nations across the world. We know how dangerous the
disease is, but despite the fact that both the political system and the
people are actively working together to prevent and control the
epidemic, there is still a segment of the population that lacks a sense of
responsibility, and subjective psychology, which ignores the danger even
when local authorities and specialized agencies at all levels have issued
warnings and warnings about the danger. Mass meetings where safety
aspects are not assured still occur in many areas; some individuals still
do not take precautions such as wearing masks in public places, on
public transportation, or while visiting medical institutions...
Furthermore, failing to freely report health information and making
dishonest claims to avoid isolation without even thinking about yourself
might become a medical burden and a threat to yourself and the entire
society if you are infected.
As a result, I believe that, in addition to the best efforts of the whole
political system, each citizen should not be neglectful or subjective,
particularly in raising awareness and responsibility for epidemic
prevention and control. To combat the illness in the most efficient
manner possible
3. Method
a. Participants (including description and selection procedures)
- Everyone must comply with the regulations of the state. The state
must have specific methods of epidemic prevention and the state must
have the responsibility to help people in epidemic prevention activities.
In addition, each person must have a sense of strictly complying with the
regulations issued by the state.
- Urgently implement scientific, timely, effective and focused vaccination
for necessary subjects such as frontline forces, the elderly, people with
underlying medical conditions, people in very high-risk areas, in key
areas with strong outbreaks of epidemics and key areas. Early
prevention and control of epidemics to return to the "new normal"
nationwide. At the same time, continue to focus on stabilizing the
macro-economy, controlling inflation, ensuring major balances of the
economy; fully and promptly implement social security policies; ensure
 people's safety, security, order and social safety, remove difficulties,
maintain and develop production and business in association with
ensuring safety for disease prevention and control.
- Each person needs to raise their sense of responsibility, equip
themselves and their families with basic knowledge about Covid-19
epidemic prevention and control according to the recommendations of
the Ministry of Health
- Have a healthy lifestyle to help improve the body's resistance; limit
gatherings in crowded places
- Disobeying as well as spreading unverified information, negatively
impacting society...
- Voluntarily making health declaration for the entire population in
accordance with regulations, and at the same time being honest in the
declaration process to protect themselves and their families, as well as
help the authorities work effectively.
- In the community, disease surveillance, prevention and detection
should be strictly followed. If detecting suspected cases, it is necessary
to promptly notify the grassroots health sector, conduct zoning of
suspected epidemic areas, absolutely do not panic, panic, cause
insecurity and disorder.
b. Research design
This study will deploy email, telephone, online surveys with people from
the same places first to people from different places. People eligible for
inclusion in the COVID-19 survey were those in which we have identified
about age, occupation, place where they live and after that they can
shared their telephone number, email or even facebook link of
individuals with the research team for any future follow-up surveys. This
survey will start with people having phone first and then continue
divided a big team into small teams that are responsible certain place so
that we do not miss anything. The study team contacted available phone
numbers and email from student of universities to establish a baseline
of respondents. The survey will be conducted every month (funds
permitting), beginning in November first. Each survey will last less than
10 minutes and be conducted on the phone by a
team of research assistants. The research team will attempt to contact
these participants at least three times. Baseline findings on awareness
of COVID-19 symptoms, perceived risk, awareness of and ability to carry
out preventive behaviors and various attitudes for the government's
distancing directive as well, misconceptions of people under the
pandemic and their fears. All of things will provide us with the necessary
data about their sense of responsibility when the epidemic is happening
and their attitudes may indicate compliance or resistance to the
distancing directive.
- Target: 500 people inside and outside the epidemic area
Our target is people are under epidemic area at detailed area and
people close to epidemic area to collect information and sum it up then
compare and contrast for conclusion.
- Survey instrument
The first survey will serve as a baseline. The survey instrument includes
questions regarding awareness of COVID-19, perceived risk of infection,
awareness of promoted behaviors, misconceptions regarding treatment
and disease spread, and will ask questions about perceived ability to
carry out preventive behaviors by the respondent and their community,
migration of family members and their experiences of prevention for
themselves. We will include some questions for only females, males or
only student to get further information.
- Limitations
During the COVID-19 outbreak, it will not be possible to collect data or
conduct behavior change campaigns in person, to protect health teams'
staff. So if possible we can interview some people in person to obtain
more realistic and objective data for the survey.