Knowledge, attitude, and associated factors towards COVID-19 among nurses who work in South Gondar Zone, hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia 2020. A multi-central institution-based cross-sectional study

Coronavirus disease 2019 is an emerging respiratory disease that is caused by a novel coronavirus and was first detected in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The world was affected by the Coronavirus Disease in 2019. In sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia, there is no study conducted on the level of Knowledge, Attitude, and Associated Factors towards Coronavirus disease 2019 among Health care workers, specifically Nurses. This study aims to assess the level of Knowledge, Attitude, and Associated Factors towards Coronavirus disease 2019 among Nurses who work in South Gondar Zone, Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia, 2020. An Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among 166 Nurses in South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia, From 1 June to 30 June 2020. For selecting the study participants after proportional allocation of study subjects to each hospital, simple random sampling techniques were to be used. Data were entered into Epi info version 7.2.0.1, and exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences window version 24 for analysis. Binary and multivariable logistic regression was used to see the association between dependent and independent variables. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was computed. P-value < 0.05 was used to declare association. Finally, the result is presented in the form of texts, tables, and graphs. Of 166 Nurses, 166 (100% response rate) responded to the online interview questionnaire. Of the participating 166 nurses, 57.2% were females and 42.8% were males; 41.6 % of the respondents were between the ages of 20 and 29 years. About 84.9 % had good knowledge and 63.3% favourable attitude of COVID-19. Wearing general medical masks can prevent one from acquiring infection by the COVID-19 virus. AOR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.005–0.362 were factors of knowledge about COVID-19, whereas, ‘I strongly agree’ Medical staff were ready to participate in anti-epidemic in the community, AOR = 0.08, 95% CI = 0.003–1.76 were factors of attitude about COVID-19. Where factors of attitude about COVID-19. In this study, most of the nurses had good knowledge and a favourable attitude regarding of COVID-19. Wearing general medical masks that can prevent one from acquiring infection by the COVID-19 virus were factors in association with the knowledge of nurses on COVID-19. Similarly, Medical staff were ready to participate in anti-epidemic community factors associated with the attitudes of nurses on COVID-19.