Abstract
BackgroundEffective communication is critical for mitigating the public health risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.ObjectiveThis study assesses the source(s) of COVID-19 information among people in Nigeria, as well as the predictors and the perceived accuracy of information from these sources.MethodsWe conducted an online survey of consenting adults residing in Nigeria between April and May 2020 during the lockdown and first wave of COVID-19. The major sources of information about COVID-19 were distilled from 7 potential sources (family and friends, places of worship, health care providers, internet, workplace, traditional media, and public posters/banners). An open-ended question was asked to explore how respondents determined accuracy of information. Statistical analysis was conducted using STATA 15.0 software (StataCorp Texas) with significance placed at P<.05. Approval to conduct this study was obtained from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Health Research Ethics Committee.ResultsA total of 719 respondents completed the survey. Most respondents (n=642, 89.3%) obtained COVID-19–related information from the internet. The majority (n=617, 85.8%) considered their source(s) of information to be accurate, and 32.6% (n=234) depended on only 1 out of the 7 potential sources of COVID-19 information. Respondents earning a monthly income between NGN 70,000-120,000 had lower odds of obtaining COVID-19 information from the internet compared to respondents earning less than NGN 20,000 (odds ratio [OR] 0.49, 95% CI 0.24-0.98). In addition, a significant proportion of respondents sought accurate information from recognized health organizations, such as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.ConclusionsThe internet was the most common source of COVID-19 information, and the population sampled had a relatively high level of perceived accuracy for the COVID-19 information received. Effective communication requires dissemination of information via credible communication channels, as identified from this study. This can be potentially beneficial for risk communication to control the pandemic.
Highlights
COVID-19, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019 [1], and was thereafter recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020 [2]
This study aims to identify the sources of COVID-19 information among Nigerians, as well as the predictors and the perceived accuracy of these sources
To determine the accuracy of COVID-19 information, a significant fraction of respondents cross-referenced any information received with news from official government regulatory bodies and the WHO
Summary
COVID-19, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019 [1], and was thereafter recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020 [2]. As our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 increases, local COVID-19 interventions are beginning to focus on the sources and perceived accuracy of disseminated preventive information, which portends an important process in the prevention and control of the disease [6]. Objective: This study assesses the source(s) of COVID-19 information among people in Nigeria, as well as the predictors and the perceived accuracy of information from these sources. A significant proportion of respondents sought accurate information from recognized health organizations, such as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. Effective communication requires dissemination of information via credible communication channels, as identified from this study. This can be potentially beneficial for risk communication to control the pandemic
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