Open Access

Zekeriya Aktürk, Klaus Linde, Alexander Hapfelmeier, Raphael Kunisch, Antonius Schneider

• Background: This study investigated the feasibility to conduct an educational webinar for improving COVID-19-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in Munich. Methods: A before-after experiment was conducted in Turkish-speaking family physician offices. Turkish-speaking participants (n=245) of a cross-sectional study evaluating COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors were invited to an educational webinar. COVID-19 vaccination intention and knowledge (25 true/false items) were the primary outcomes. Also, attitudes and behaviors to COVID-19 vaccination were asked using Likert scales (min. 1, max. 5). Results: Knowledge (22.8±1.5 vs. 23.1±1.5) and behavior (4.1±0.4 vs. 4.2±0.3) scores did not change after the intervention, nor changed the intention to be vaccinated (p>0.05). However, there was a significant increase in the attitude scores from mean 3.9±0.5 to 4.2±0.5 (p=0.009). The webinar received high scores (mean 4.7±0.2). Conclusion: We suggest educationalBackground: This study investigated the feasibility to conduct an educational webinar for improving COVID-19-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in Munich. Methods: A before-after experiment was conducted in Turkish-speaking family physician offices. Turkish-speaking participants (n=245) of a cross-sectional study evaluating COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors were invited to an educational webinar. COVID-19 vaccination intention and knowledge (25 true/false items) were the primary outcomes. Also, attitudes and behaviors to COVID-19 vaccination were asked using Likert scales (min. 1, max. 5). Results: Knowledge (22.8±1.5 vs. 23.1±1.5) and behavior (4.1±0.4 vs. 4.2±0.3) scores did not change after the intervention, nor changed the intention to be vaccinated (p>0.05). However, there was a significant increase in the attitude scores from mean 3.9±0.5 to 4.2±0.5 (p=0.009). The webinar received high scores (mean 4.7±0.2). Conclusion: We suggest educational interventions involving key persons from the Turkish-speaking community as peer trainers to change the negative attitudes towards vaccination.…