AUTHOR=Al Khathlan Noor , Padhi Bijaya Kumar 

TITLE=Adherence to COVID-19 Appropriate Behavior Among Respiratory Therapists: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.715982

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2021.715982

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Background
Adherence to COVID-19 appropriate behaviour plays a crucial element in the management of COVID-19 infections. Despite the importance of transmission-reducing behaviours among health care professionals, there is a lack of literature in this area of research explicitly relating to Respiratory Therapists (RTs). Therefore, it is essential to assess the adherence level to COVID-19 transmission-reducing behaviours among RTs in the Saudi Arabia. 
Methods
A web-based online survey was conducted using questions based on WHO risk assessment guidelines. A random representative sample of RTs (N=215) living in Saudi Arabia were recruited for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were computed using STATA software. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify key factors that are associated with adherence to COVID-19 appropriate behaviour among the study participants.
Results
Of the 215 participants, 59.5% were aged between 26-35 years, and 40.9% were female. Most (85.5%) participants hold a bachelor’s degree while 12.0% were master’s level of education. About 56.2% of RTs provided direct care to a confirmed COVID-19 patient during the study periods. The study showed 80.9% of RTs in Saudi Arabia adhered to PPE at workplace, and 65.0% at home. Moreover, the study findings indicated that senior RTs (with > 5 years of experience) demonstrated a higher adherence level to the guidelines than RTs with less than 5 years of experience. High risk perception [aOR:2.32; 95% CI: 1.09-3.27], and work history > 5 years [aOR:2.00; 95% CI: 1.14-3.15], were found to be the strongest predictors in explaining the adherence to protective behavior among RTs at workplace. 
Conclusion
Adherence (‘Always’ or ‘Most times’) to COVID-19 protective behavior was found to be high at hospital settings among the study participants. However, the same practice was found to be inconsistence in non-health care settings among the RTs. Considering the paramount role of COVID-19 appropriate behavior in reducing the transmissions the policy focus, therefore, needs to be on creating a well-spread behavior change communication that is curtailing the adoption of appropriate behavior in non-health care settings.