Community Engagement in the Fight Against COVID-19: Knowledge, Attitude, and Prevention Practices Among Dire Dawa Residents, Eastern Ethiopia.

Abdurezak Umer,Kedir Abdella,Mohammed Yuya,Hussen Mohammed,Tsegahun Manyazewal,Yared Tekle,Addisalem Debebe

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.753867

Abdurezak Umer, Kedir Abdella + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.753867

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Abstract

Background: There is a global concern that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cannot be addressed without the integration and active engagement of communities. We aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of the residents in Eastern Ethiopia toward COVID-19.Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on May 1–30, 2020 among the residents of Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire on the awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices toward COVID-19. We used random sampling to select the participants. Data was entered into the statistics and data (STATA) version for data cleaning and analysis. Binary logistic regression models with 95% CI were used to conduct bivariable [crude odds ratio (COR)] and multivariable [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)] analyses.Result: A total of 415 community residents responded to the questionnaire. Of those participants, 52.5% (95% CI 47.7–57) had adequate knowledge, 31.6% (95% CI 27–36) had favorable attitudes, and 49% (95% CI 45–50) had good practice toward the precautionary measures of COVID-19. Adequate knowledge had a significant association with urban residence (AOR = 5, 95% CI 3.1–8.4) and literacy (AOR = 3.1, 95% CI 1.5–6.7). Good preventions practices had a significant association with place of residence (AOR = 4.1, 95% CI 2.3–7.2), literacy (AOR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1,2–7.4), adequate knowledge (AOR = 3.5, 95% CI 2.3–5.8), and favorable attitude (AOR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.4–3.8) about the disease.Conclusion: The overall COVID-19-related KAP was inadequate in the majority of the residents of Dire Dawa that occupy irregular migration flows. These call for robust community-centered behavioral communication strategies that could bridge the gaps and help prevent and control COVID-19 and other future pandemics in their community.

Highlights

Coronavirus disease 2019 continues to be a global pandemic and public health crisis
To measure attitudes related to COVID-19, we examined the perceived risk of COVID-19 infection comprising perceived susceptibility, which signifies the beliefs of an individual about their possibility of infection, and perceived severity of the infection
The findings of this study showed that about one-third of the study participants had a favorable attitude toward coronavirus prevention policy and risk level; this is in line with the study conducted by Bekele D et al at the national level in Ethiopia [13]

Summary

Introduction

Coronavirus disease 2019 continues to be a global pandemic and public health crisis. More than 200 million people were infected by the disease and 2% of these people died, globally [1]. Ethiopia reported its first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case on March 13, 2020; since the disease has spread over all parts of the country and infected over 300,000 people, of whom 1.59% died [1]. The knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of the community toward COVID-19 have a significant impact on the battle against the disease. There have been some studies conducted in Ethiopia to know how the KAPs toward COVID-19 at the community level influenced the transmissions of the disease [8, 9]; their primary focus had been on the general knowledge of COVID-19 or knowledge that the general public can have along with the misconception of COVID-19. We aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of the residents in Eastern Ethiopia toward COVID-19

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