COVID-19-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among adolescents and young people in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, India

To control the spread of COVID-19 in India and to aid the efforts of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), the Population Council and other non-governmental organizations are conducting research to assess residents’ ability to follow sanitation and social distancing precautions under a countrywide lockdown. The Population Council COVID-19 study team is implementing rapid phone-based surveys to collect information on knowledge, attitudes and practices, as well as needs, among 2,041 young people (ages 19–23 years) and/or an adult household member, sampled from an existing prospective cohort study with a total sample size of 20,594 in Bihar (n=10,433) and Uttar Pradesh (n=10,161). Baseline was conducted from April 3–22; subsequent iterations of the survey are planned to be conducted on a monthly basis. Baseline findings on awareness of COVID-19 symptoms, perceived risk, awareness of and ability to carry out preventive behaviors, misconceptions, and fears will inform the development of government and other stakeholders’ interventions and/or strategies. We are committed to openly sharing the latest versions of the study description, questionnaires, de-identified or aggregated datasets, and preliminary results. Data and findings can also be shared with partners working on the COVID-19 response.