S1 Data -

The COVID-19 pandemic has become one of the global health challenges in the current context. In Nepal, the first confirmed case was reported on 23 January 2020, and since then, it has resulted in several negative impacts, including economic disruption and deterioration of physical and mental health. In such a pandemic, it is indispensable to understand the knowledge and behavioral patterns of the general population regarding COVID-19. Therefore, our study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices on COVID-19 among the general population in most affected districts and its relationship with socio-demographic conditions. The cross-sectional study was conducted among the general population above the age of 18 years from eight districts of Nepal including Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Morang, Sunsari, Rupandehi, Chitwan, and Kaski. A convenient non-probability sampling method was considered with total sample size of 702. The questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric statistical tests, and a logistic regression model were used for analysis. The study showed that 93.3% of respondents had knowledge of overall preventive practices, whereas only 32% had knowledge of overall symptoms of COVID-19. Regarding attitudes, only 14.3% strongly believed that the COVID-19 pandemic would end soon. The preventive practice was reduced after the lockdown compared to that of during the lockdown. The respondents with white-collar occupations, high-income, and unmarried were good at KAP. Similarly, highly educated and those residing in urban areas had good knowledge and practice. The study findings will help in the development of targeted programs to improve the general population’s knowledge, attitudes and practices on COVID-19, which is paramount to dealing with the existing pandemic and also such possible future waves of the pandemic.新冠疫情已成为当前语境下全球卫生领域的重大挑战之一。在尼泊尔，首例确诊病例于2020年1月23日被报告，自此疫情造成了诸多负面影响，包括经济中断与紊乱，以及民众身心健康状况的恶化。在此疫情背景下，了解普通民众对新冠病毒的认知与行为模式至关重要。因此，本研究旨在评估尼泊尔受灾最严重区县的普通民众对新冠的认知、态度与实践（Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices，简称KAP）现状，及其与社会人口学特征的关联。本横断面研究的研究对象为尼泊尔加德满都（Kathmandu）、巴克塔普尔（Bhaktapur）、拉利特普尔（Lalitpur）、莫朗（Morang）、孙萨里（Sunsari）、鲁潘德希（Rupandehi）、奇旺（Chitwan）与卡斯基（Kaski）八个区县的18岁以上普通民众，采用便利非概率抽样方法，总样本量为702例。研究通过问卷调查收集数据，分析方法涵盖描述性统计、非参数统计检验及逻辑回归模型。研究结果显示，93.3%的受访者掌握了整体新冠预防措施相关知识，但仅32%的受访者了解新冠的整体症状。在态度维度上，仅14.3%的受访者坚信新冠疫情将很快结束。封锁解除后，民众的新冠预防实践较封锁期间有所减少。拥有白领职业、高收入且未婚的受访者在KAP方面表现更优。同样，受教育程度较高以及居住在城市地区的人群具备更好的认知水平与实践能力。本研究结果将有助于制定针对性干预方案，以提升普通民众对新冠的认知、态度与实践水平，这对于应对当前疫情以及未来可能出现的疫情反弹均具有重要意义。