{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,12]],"date-time":"2025-10-12T00:22:28Z","timestamp":1760228548574,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]],"date-time":"2022-05-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1652832000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Societies"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Introduction: The rapid global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has made COVID-19 one of the biggest pandemics of all time, with several devastating public health challenges. In this study, we investigated the knowledge towards COVID-19 best practices in the north of Portugal. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed with a convenience sample of the population of northern Portugal to assess their knowledge about COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 and measures to prevent and mitigate pandemics. An online validated questionnaire was completed by 411 participants, from September to October 2020. Results: The overall correct knowledge was 81.3%, which indicates a good knowledge by the northern Portuguese respondents about COVID-19. The correct answer score differed considerably between men and women, being significantly higher among the latter (12.28 \u00b1 1.22; p = 0.011). Moreover, the highest knowledge was observed in participants who attended high school or above (12.27 \u00b1 1.21; p &lt; 0.000). Conclusion: This study contributes to the analysis of COVID-19 knowledge by the northern Portuguese population, emphasizes the crucial role of health education in the control and mitigation of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provides field-based evidence to prevent the next pandemic event.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/soc12030082","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]],"date-time":"2022-05-18T23:14:26Z","timestamp":1652915666000},"page":"82","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Knowledge about COVID-19 Best Practices in the North of Portugal and the Importance of Health Education in the Prevention of Pandemic Events"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Joana","family":"Oliveira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Isilda","family":"Rodrigues","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Education and Psychology Department, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9584-6636","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manuela","family":"Matos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9292-6465","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Isabel","family":"Carvalho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Ana Cristina","family":"Matos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agrarian School of Castelo Branco, Centre Research for Natural Resources, Environment and Society, Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Lu\u00eds","family":"Figueira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agrarian School of Castelo Branco, Centre Research for Natural Resources, Environment and Society, Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"da Concei\u00e7\u00e3o Fontes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Nuno","family":"Alegria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8182-5674","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Patr\u00edcia","family":"Lopes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8858-4829","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Beatriz","family":"do Vale","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6145-7560","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lu\u00eds","family":"Cardoso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7196-4179","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Cl\u00e1udia","family":"Coelho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1186\/s12575-020-00128-2","article-title":"A comprehensive review of COVID-19 characteristics","volume":"22","author":"Esakandari","year":"2020","journal-title":"Biol. 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