INFORMATION NEEDS

This KAP assessment tells us what people know about COVID-19, how they feel and their actions to prevent the disease. It identifies knowledge gaps, beliefs, or misperceptions that can facilitate people’s understanding and behaviour. It also assesses what community would like to know more about COVID-19 and how they prefer to contact TRCS to ask questions or share feedback. Knowing what information people have heard already, how they reacted to it and why they might be resistant to change can help develop targeted messaging and engage in dialogue with communities to promote positive behaviour. The findings of KAP assessment can guide adjustments to ongoing interventions and improve the quality and accessibility of services for the communities.

Information needs & communities’ preferred channels to receive information and share feedback with TRCS are assessed to understand what information communities need to know now about COVID-19 and their preferred communication channels to receive that information and how they prefer to contact TRCS to ask questions or share feedback.

FGD findings:

Respondents explain communities in all locations need information about any new symptoms of COVID-19 infection, how to maintain personal hygiene, how to use and when to use masks and what should be done after a person has recovered from COVID-19. They stress that while communities are informed about the preventive measures, awareness needs to be raised further to inform people how to protect themselves in this post lockdown situation and encourage them to adopt safe and healthy practices. Dissemination of information about the presence of COVID-19, its risks, how it can spread as well as the importance of wearing masks in public areas and physical distancing should be reinforced to ensure people are taking care of themselves. This is particularly important for people who are at risk such as elderly, person with chronic disease but also young people in the community. Respondents suggest TRCS to collaborate with public institutions to maximise the effort of disseminating key information and highlight the importance of the preventive measures.

Given the evolving situation, communities are also looking for information on the number of COVID-19 cases in each city in Turkey to better understand the current situation. They would like to know where and which hospitals are available to treat infected patients, how to get admitted in these hospitals, information about TRCS blood support, and any updated information on COVID-19 including vaccines or drugs to treat patients. Information materials on COVID-19 with visuals for children should be further developed to help them understand the risks and the necessary measures to avoid infection.

Respondents suggest that online trainings or seminars should be organised by TRCS to encourage community members and children to practise healthy behaviours. At the same time, the number of psychosocial support (PSS) sessions should be increased by TRCS or other NGOs to address community needs.

Other information people are looking for are how to disinfect clothes, clean homes and how to keep environment clean and safe. They are also interested to hear the experiences of people who have recovered from the disease to take lessons that they can apply in their own lives.