Perception of the risk of the COVID-19 disease and its related factors in Paraguay

Abstract

Introduction: as the number of cases and deaths by COVID-19 increases worldwide, it is increasingly important to understand the public perception of the risk of acquiring this infection. The success of policies to curb the rapid transmission of a highly infectious disease depends, in part, on the precise perception of personal and social risk factors among citizens.                                                                       Objective: analyze the perception of the risk of the COVID-19 disease and its related factors in Paraguay during 2020.                                                                                                                                                  Methodology: observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study with analytical component. The survey was conducted online using a Google Forms© form distributed through "WhatsApp" groups and social media. To explore the relationship between risk perception and various variables, multiple linear regressions were used and three analysis models were established.                                                            Results: from the 5118 subjects entered in the study, 61,16 % (3169) were female, and 50,78 % (2631) were from the age group between 30 and 49 years of age. Inadequate knowledge about the correct use of the mask was 80,42 % and this was associated with a low perception of risk (p = 0,001). Presenting a suspicious or exposed relative / friend was associated with a greater perception of risk (p = 0,005).    Conclusion: the global risk perception was low, in turn the multivariate linear regression showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the risk perception scores in singles and residents of the metropolitan area.