A STUDY conducted by a professor and students from Mapua University which tackles the perception of Filipinos on the effectivity of Covid19 preventive measures has been published in a prestigious international medical journal.

“The current study is one of the first studies in this field of research that addresses Covid19 in the Philippines. It can be applied and extended to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of Covid19 measures in other countries dealing with the pandemic,” said Dr. Yogi Tri Prasetyo of the Mapua School of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, who is lead author of the study.

It was published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, an open-access, monthly journal that publishes clinical and laboratory-based researches in epidemiology, clinical diagnosis, and treatment and control of infectious diseases.

Prasetyo said the study shows Filipinos who have better understanding of Covid19 are more likely to recognize the effectiveness of health protocols in protecting them against the virus.

Some of the preventive measures include proper hand washing, wearing of face masks and face shields, and observing physical distancing.

The study also reveals those who are knowledgeable about Covid19 are more likely to understand its severity and chances of contracting the disease.

However, the current study was mainly focused on the perceived effectiveness rather than measuring the effectiveness of prevention measures themselves.

The research also showed the Filipinos’ intention to follow measures influences their actual and adapted behavior such as doing proper disinfection and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Prasetyo said his group decided to conduct the study with the increasing number of Covid19 cases in the country and with the lack of significant studies about the disease.

The other authors of the study are Allysa Mae Castillo, Louie John Salonga, John Allen Sia, and Joshua Adam Seneta.