KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES ON COVID-19 PREVENTION AMONG VEHICLE MECHANICS IN DHAKA CITY

Md. Allama  Faysal; Abid Hasan Khan; Humaira Tul  Jannat; Md. Anower  Hussain; Nazmur Rahman  Sajib

doi:10.63773/6mkx4b50

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Published: 2025-12-30

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63773/6mkx4b50

Keywords:

COVID-19; Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP); Preventive Practices; Vehicle Mechanics; Occupational Health; Bangladesh

Md. Allama Faysal

Lecturer & Coordinator, Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh, Bangladesh

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5705-8160

Abid Hasan Khan

Doctoral Student, University of Memphis, USA

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1761-4813

Humaira Tul Jannat

Facility Assessor, National Institute of Preventive & Social Medicine, Bangladesh

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0006-9716

Md. Anower Hussain

Professor & Chairman, Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh, Bangladesh

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5762-4287

Nazmur Rahman Sajib

Surveillance and Immunization Medical Officer, WHO, Bangladesh

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5510-2459

Abstract

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed substantial public health challenges worldwide, particularly among occupational groups with high exposure risk and limited access to health information. Adequate knowledge, appropriate attitudes, and proper preventive practices are critical to reducing the transmission of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. This study examines the levels of knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding COVID-19 among vehicle mechanics in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. A cross-sectional offline survey was conducted between January and December 2021 among 423 vehicle mechanics selected from two thanas of Dhaka City using simple random sampling for respondents and cluster sampling for garages. Data were gathered through direct, in-person interviews with participants using a structured questionnaire, and the results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. The findings indicate that 62% of participants demonstrated poor knowledge of COVID-19. Knowledge of COVID-19 differed significantly by educational status (χ² = 242.82, df = 15, p < 0.01), as well as by age, marital status, and financial contribution to the family. Nearly 90% of respondents reported that COVID-19 negatively affected their mental health and socioeconomic conditions. Preventive practices were notably low: only 2.6% maintained physical distancing, 3.8% wore masks at the workplace, and 7.1% wore masks outside the workplace. Furthermore, only 1.7% of respondents consistently followed safety measures when dealing with customers. The findings indicate that preventive practices related to COVID-19 were significantly associated with respondents' level of knowledge, with the majority demonstrating inadequate knowledge and suboptimal preventive behaviors.

JEL Classification Code: I18, J28.

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Vol. 15 No. 1 (2025): Journal of SUB

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Author Biographies

Md. Allama Faysal , Lecturer & Coordinator, Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh, Bangladesh

Md. Allama Faysal is a Lecturer in the Department of Public Health at the State University of Bangladesh (SUB), where he is dedicated to advancing public health education and research. He also serves as Coordinator of the Master of Public Health (MPH) program in the department. He holds a BSc in Health Technology (Dental) from the State College of Health Sciences (SCHS), affiliated with Dhaka University, and earned his MPH with a major in Epidemiology from SUB. Upon completing his MPH, he joined SUB's Department of Public Health as a Research Fellow, contributing to research projects on autism and antibodies funded by the LabAid Group. He subsequently advanced to the role of Research Assistant. To date, he has supervised 8 MPH theses and co-supervised 43 others. Mr. Faysal is a member of the Public Health Foundation of Bangladesh and holds the position of Communication and Networking Secretary for the MPH Alumni Association in SUB's Department of Public Health.

Abid Hasan Khan , Doctoral Student, University of Memphis, USA

Abid Hasan Khan is a Doctoral Student in Public Health at the University of Memphis, where he serves as both a Graduate Teaching Assistant and Graduate Research Assistant. His doctoral research focuses on health behavior impacts on cognitive health. He previously worked as a Research Officer at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, contributing to clinical and population-based research initiatives. Prior to that, he served as a Research Assistant at both State University of Bangladesh and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, where he was actively involved in study design, data collection, statistical analysis, and manuscript preparation. Early in his career, he contributed to a Dengue Research Project in 2019, strengthening his field epidemiology experience. Mr. Khan completed his Bachelor of Public Health (BPH) and Master of Public Health (MPH) from Jahangirnagar University. He has authored and co-authored more than 22 research publications in peer-reviewed journals, reflecting strong expertise in epidemiology, infectious diseases, and health systems research. In addition to his academic and research roles, he has volunteered with UNICEF Bangladesh and Volunteer for Bangladesh, demonstrating commitment to community health and youth engagement initiatives.

Humaira Tul Jannat , Facility Assessor, National Institute of Preventive & Social Medicine, Bangladesh

Humaira Tul Jannat is a public health academic and dental professional with expertise in hospital management and health systems assessment. She completed her Master of Public Health (MPH) in Hospital Management from the National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM) (2019–2020) and earned her Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from Sapporo Dental College & Hospital in 2013. She served as a Lecturer in the Department of Public Health at State University of Bangladesh from October 2021 to December 2022, where she contributed to teaching and academic mentoring. Earlier, she worked as a Lecturer at Saphena Women’s Dental College & Hospital, Dhaka (2016–2017), strengthening her foundation in dental education and clinical instruction. In 2021, she worked as a Facility Assessor at NIPSOM in collaboration with UNICEF Bangladesh, contributing to health facility assessment and quality improvement initiatives. Academically, she achieved Honours marks in Oral Anatomy, securing 7th position in the 2nd Professional Examination under the University of Dhaka. She is currently preparing for PhD enrollment, with research interests centered on hospital management, health service quality improvement, and public health systems strengthening.

Md. Anower Hussain , Professor & Chairman, Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh, Bangladesh

Prof. Hussain is a distinguished public health academician and oral health specialist in Bangladesh with nearly three decades of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership. Over the course of his career, he has served in several prominent roles both nationally and internationally. He has worked as the Dean of the Faculty of Public Health at the Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS), Adjunct Professor at the Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) in the School of Pharmacy and Public Health, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at North South University (NSU). He also served as Principal of Mandy Dental College, Dhaka, and as Visiting Professor in the Department of Public Health at National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan. He is research fellow at the INTI International University, Malaysia. Prof. Hussain earned his PhD in Pharmacology from Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan, and completed his MPH at the American University of Sovereign Nations (USA). He further enhanced his research expertise as a postdoctoral fellow at Indiana University. He obtained his BDS from Dhaka Dental College under University of Dhaka in 1991 and his DDS from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in 2001. With 56 peer-reviewed publications in reputable national and international journals, he has made significant scholarly contributions. According to the AD Scientific Index 2022, he ranked 318 among scientists in Bangladesh. Currently, he supervises MPhil and PhD students at leading universities, including Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, and Bangladesh University of Professionals. An active contributor to global academia, he has presented and chaired sessions at conferences across Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America. Deeply committed to humanitarian service, he has organized numerous voluntary blood donation and free medical camps, serving thousands of underprivileged people nationwide.

Nazmur Rahman Sajib, Surveillance and Immunization Medical Officer, WHO, Bangladesh

Dr. Nazmur Rahman Sajib is a public health physician with expertise in epidemiology, surveillance, and health systems strengthening. He completed his MBBS from Ibrahim Medical College and obtained an MPH in Epidemiology from National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM). He is currently serving as a Surveillance and Immunization Medical Officer (SIMO) at the World Health Organization in Khulna, Bangladesh, where he contributes to disease surveillance, immunization program monitoring, and field-level public health response coordination. Previously, Dr. Sajib worked as a Lecturer in the Department of Public Health at State University of Bangladesh, where he was involved in teaching, mentoring, and academic development. He also served as a Junior National Consultant under the Shasthyo Suroksha Karmasuchi (SSK), Health Economics Unit, Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, contributing to health financing and social health protection initiatives. Earlier in his career, he worked as a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at icddr,b and as a Clinical Coordinator at United Hospital Limited, gaining experience in clinical operations, program monitoring, and healthcare management. Dr. Sajib’s professional interests include epidemiology, immunization systems, health program evaluation, and public health policy implementation in Bangladesh.

How to Cite

Faysal , M. A. ., Khan , A. H., Jannat , H. T. ., Hussain , M. A. ., & Sajib, N. R. (2025). KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES ON COVID-19 PREVENTION AMONG VEHICLE MECHANICS IN DHAKA CITY. Journal of SUB, 15(1), 38-46. https://doi.org/10.63773/6mkx4b50

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