Knowledge of COVID-19 in the general adult population after two years of pandemic

Objective: to identify the level of knowledge about COVID-19 in the adult population residing in Gijon (Spain) after two years of the pandemic. Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between March 2021 and March 2022. Data were obtained by means of a telephone questionnaire on a stratified sample of three basic health areas of Gijon, Spain (Calzada, Zarracina and Parque-Somio). The sample size consisted of 305 persons. Chi-square analysis was used to study the relationship between categorical variables and ANOVA was used to compare the means of the total score by basic zone. Logistic regressions were performed to calculate odds ratios between the dependent variable (having advanced knowledge) and the independent variables (sociodemographic variables). A predictive model was constructed between the existence or not of advanced knowledge and the independent variables by logistic regression. Results: differences were found in the mean score of the level of knowledge between Parque-Somio and Calzada (p = 0.000) and Parque-Somio and Zarracina (p = 0.045), with a higher mean score for Parque-Somio. An association was observed between the level of knowledge and the variables information medium used (p = 0.018), age (p = 0.036), basic health area (p = 0.000), educational level (p = 0.000) and previous history of close contact (p = 0.004). Conclusions: the advanced level of knowledge is mainly present in basic health areas with a higher socioeconomic level, population with a high educational level, between 25 and 45 years of age, who have been informed by their environment and with a previous history of follow-up due to close contact.