KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR OF MEDICAL STUDENTS REGARDING APPROPRIATE COVID-19 PROTECTION: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF CROATIAN AND BOSNIAN MEDICAL STUDENTS.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the knowledge, attitudes and behavior of medical students in relation to COVID-19 according to different medical schools and duration of studies. A validated questionnaire was administered to 192 medical students at two universities in Croatia and one from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fisher-Freeman-Halton and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to examine differences among study groups. The association of variables was tested with a linear regression model. A negative correlation was found between adherence to measures and attitudes (ß=-0.36; p<0.001). Studying at the University of Zagreb was positively associated with students' knowledge about COVID-19 (ß=0.24; p=0.033) but negatively with students' attitudes (ß= 0.26; p=0.013). Compared to the last study year students, second-year students had lower knowledge (ß=-0.28; p=0.040) and statistically nonsignificant negative attitudes (ß=-0.24; p=0.055). Fifth-year students had more negative attitudes (ß=-0.24; p=0.008) compared to sixth-year students. The association between knowledge and attitudes was weak and statistically borderline nonsignificant (ß=0.14; p=0.056). The lack of association between knowledge and attitudes requires additional research to identify the potential factors that favor the formation of attitudes toward appropriate protection against COVID-19.