1. Saud Alsulaiman & Dr. Terry Rentner
The Coronavirus Crisis in Saudi Arabia Part II: Results On The Ministry Of Health As A Credible Source of Information and Preventive Measures
Saud Alsulaiman & Dr. Terry Rentner

2. What is Coronavirus?
The WHO defines the middle east respiratory syndrome (MERS) as a “viral respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus” or MERS-Cov. (2014)
Majority attributed to human-to human infections, but camels believed to play significant role in transmitting the disease
Exact role and route of the transmission has yet to be determined (WHO, 2015).

3. Initial MOH Response There was no response! Outrage on social media
Spread of the virus pushed the MOH to say something
Everything is under control!!!
Transparency issue
One-way communication

4. New Change of Command “WE CAN STOP IT”
Established the Command & Control
Center
Established a Coronavirus website
Free hotline (937)
Two- way communication
Interactive and visual media
Launched a public health campaign
“WE CAN STOP IT”

5. Statistics on Coronavirus
First case reported in Saudi Arabia in Sept
As February 16, 2017:
8 cases under treatment
901 cases recovered
648 cases passed away
Total of 1545 cases

6. Aim of Study 1. Credibility of MOH campaign information 2
Aim of Study 1. Credibility of MOH campaign information 2. Effectiveness of campaign Practicing recommended preventative measures Self-efficacy of performing preventative measures Impact on students in health and agriculture majors Method & Instrument
*Online Survey to all King Saud University’s students, 66% response rate (875 participants)
*An ordinal Likert scale with 5 points
Current Data 
Reliability: 0.94
Validity: 0.88 
Meyer’s Data 
Reliability: 0.92
Validity : 0.83

7. Health (n) Agriculture(n)
Results
Gender % n
Female
65.15%
359
Male
34.85%
192
Total
100%
551
Health-related Major
Health Agriculture
Health (n) Agriculture(n)
Yes
29.58% % No
70.42% %

8. RQ1: Where do Saudi people first go to obtain information about
coronavirus and which source is most likely to be used?

9. Extremely likely/Likely Extremely unlikely/Unlikely Facebook 8.6% 78%
Medium
Extremely likely/Likely
Extremely unlikely/Unlikely
Facebook
8.6%
78%
Family & Friends
55.8%
19%
Blogs
25.5%
43.5%
Newspaper
13.38%
67.5%
Radio
16.96%
64.2% TV
40.4%
30%
Twitter
73.1%
14.2%
MOH’s Website
64.61%
16.4%
MOH’s Twitter
69.7%
17.4%
MOH’s Facebook
16.9%
69.9%
MOH’s YouTube
45.7%
33.5%
WHO
45.35%
31.8%
CDC
37.23%
37.9%
Doctors & Health providers
72.4%
10%
YouTube
58.8%
19.8%
Internet search engines
87.31
4.6%

10. Doctors & Health providers Internet search engines
Medium M SD
MOH Website
21.17
3.330
WHO
20.71
3.726
MOH Twitter
20.63
3.617
CDC
20.38
3.890
MOH YouTube
20.14
3.787
Doctors & Health providers
19.43
3.407
MOH Facebook
19.19
4.122
Internet search engines
15.33
3.739 TV
15.24
3.727
YouTube
14.89
3.653
Newspaper
14.53
3.763
Radio
14.52
3.372
Twitter
14.28
3.903
Blogs
13.97
3.226
Family & Friends
13.83
Facebook
12.88
3.223
Media Credibility
RQ2: What sources of information do Saudis believe are most credible when seeking coronavirus information?

11. RQ3: To what extent are Saudis practicing preventative behaviors
RQ3: To what extent are Saudis practicing preventative behaviors? How often do you wash your hands? %
Count
I don’t wash my hands
0.36% 2
1-2 times
3.99% 22
3-5 times
23.01%
127
5-7 times
30.80%
170
7-9 times
21.20%
117
10 or more times
20.65%
114
Total
100%
552

12. Do you cover your mouth or use a tissue when coughing or sneezing?
Answer %
Count
Yes
87.50%
483 No
12.50% 69
Total
100%
552

13. Do you keep yourself away from camels?
Answer %
Count
Yes
90.40%
499 No
9.60% 53
Total
100%
552

14. Do you follow healthy and balanced diet to increase your immune system?
Answer %
Count
Yes
44.20%
244 No
55.80%
308
Total
100%
552

15. Do you wear a mask when you visit sick people?
Answer %
Count
Yes
17.39% 96 NO
27.36%
151
I don’t visit sick people
55.25%
305
Total
100%
552

16. For how many minutes do you exercise weekly?
Answer %
Count
I don’t exercise
36.41%
201
Less than 75 minutes
34.24%
189
Between minutes
15.58% 86
150 minutes or more
13.77% 76
Total
100%
552

17. RQ4: To what extent do Saudis have the self-efficacy to practice preventative measures?
Question
Disagree/strongly disagree
Neither agree or disagree
Agree/Strongly agree
I am able to identify coronavirus symptoms.
26%
28.06%
45.8%
I am capable of following the ministry of health's coronavirus preventive measures in a daily life basis.
12.9%
23.22%
63.8%
I am capable of washing my hands with soap and water regularly.
3.3%
8.97%
87.7%
I am capable of searching for updated information regarding coronavirus by myself.
9.4%
12.54%
78%
I am capable of avoiding close contact with sick people.
9.12%
20.80%
70.1%
I am capable of using proper ways of coronavirus preventive measures, such as using a tissue when I sneeze or cough.
2.85%
8.12%
89%
I am capable of keeping myself away from camels.
3.4%
5.84%
90.7%
I am able to seek medical help if I feel I have coronavirus symptoms.
6.2%
13.96%
79.8%
I am capable of wearing a mask when I visit sick people.
5.1%
9.69%
85%

18. RQ5: Do students in health and agriculture-related majors view preventative measures differently than students in other majors?
Test Statistics
Media Credibility
Mann-Whitney U
Wilcoxon W Z
-2.161
Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed)
.031
a. Grouping Variable: Are you a student in a health- related major?  
Median
Are you a student in a health- related major?  
Media Credibility
Yes
266.00 No
273.00
Total
271.00

19. Are you a student in a health- related major?
Test Statistics
Believability
Accuracy
Trustworthiness
Biasness
Completeness
Mann-Whitney U
Wilcoxon W Z
-1.385
-.930
-.439
-2.001
-3.038
Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed)
.166
.352
.661
.045
.002
a. Grouping Variable: Are you a student in a health- related major?  
Are you a student in a health- related major?  
Completeness
Biasness
Yes
49.00
48.00 No
52.00
Total
51.00

20. Best Practices
Understand what media sources are viewed as most credible & trustworthy
Disseminate information the public needs NOW (awareness, knowledge,
preventative measures)
Know that two-way communication is a must
Create messages for various target audiences
Be sure audiences have the self-efficacy to perform recommendations
Understand that transparency is indispensable to gain the public trust