Abstract
There is no proven specific treatment or adequate vaccination roll out against COVID-19 infection in South Africa. Optimal infection control measures encompass primary intervention to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Public knowledge, attitude, and practices of dealing with this highly infectious respiratory disease play a vital role in limiting the spread of the infection. Aim was to identify knowledge, attitudes, and practices gaps on COVID-19 pandemic for possible health education intervention. The objectives were to determine the knowledge, attitude and practices of out-patients attending a primary health care facility. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted. The Student’s t-test and ANOVA test were carried out to determine the different mean scores for knowledge, attitudes and practices. Pearson’s correlation test was conducted to determine the relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and practices scores. Binary logistic regression was undertaken to determine the predictor of good knowledge, positive attitude, and preventive practices. A total of 345 out-patient attendees participated of which 51% were male. Over half (52%) of respondents were evaluated as having good knowledge, 59% as having positive attitudes and almost all (95%) were practicing prevention of COVID-19. The knowledge of the respondent was correlated with preventive practices (r=.173, p<0.05). Multiple regression showed that respondents in the age groups 35-44 years and 45-54 years were 2.8 times and 5.7 times more likely to have good knowledge respectively. Non-smokers were 79% less likely to have good knowledge (OR=.219, p<0.05). Respondents with no comorbidity were 50% less likely to have good knowledge (OR=.503, p <0.05), when compared to those having co-morbidities. Respondents with the highest level of education was found to be positive predictor of positive attitudes (OR =7.3, p <0.05). Primary Health Care users have poor knowledge, negative attitudes but practiced properly for the prevention of the transmission of COVID-19. Mass education is required to educate communities to improve knowledge and attitudes on COVID-19 epidemic in SA.
Highlights
The coronavirus disease known as the COVID-19 pandemic started in China is a global health threat and possibly by far the largest outbreak of atypical pneumonia. [1] Human transmission has been observed via respiratory droplets and other modes causing widespread increase of patients between communities and countries [2]
Smoking habit was found among 10.5% during the epidemic which reduced from 14.3% before the epidemic
This study provides an insight on the level of personal knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices to deal with coronavirus infection, transmission and prevention among the general people attending Kwadabeka Community Health Center (KCHC) at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown in South Africa (SA)
Summary
The coronavirus disease known as the COVID-19 pandemic started in China is a global health threat and possibly by far the largest outbreak of atypical pneumonia. [1] Human transmission has been observed via respiratory droplets and other modes causing widespread increase of patients between communities and countries [2]. [1] Human transmission has been observed via respiratory droplets and other modes causing widespread increase of patients between communities and countries [2]. Transmissibility of COVID-19 in South Africa (SA) as indicated by its reproductive number has been estimated at 2.95, suggesting that on average, every case of COVID-19 will infect up to three new cases [3]. The estimated average incubation period for the virus is measured to be 5.2 days, but with variation among patients and its capacity to asymptomatic spread [4]-[6]. Severe cases of COVID-19 are known to lead to cardiac injury, respiratory failure, and death [8]. The provisional case fatality rate as reported by the WHO is approximately 2%, higher rates in the vicinity of 2.2% have been reported from SA and other countries [3], [9], [10]
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