COVID-19 Prevention Practices Research Articles

Factors Associated to Community Practices Toward the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Indonesia.

COVID-19 still continue to spread and affects most nations globally to date. In this context, community knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward COVID-19 are the most important for controlling and preventing the infectious pandemic disease. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with community practices related to COVID-19. Cross-sectional study was conducted on 330 residents of Sumedang District, Indonesia. Selection of the sample using stratified random sampling. KAP toward COVID-19 was measured using the WHO questionnaire which is valid and reliable. The data were analyzed using the Rasch model, Pearson correlation, and linear regression. This study revealed that most respondents tend to answer correctly on the sociality and disease transmission knowledge (+2.08 logit; SE 1.63), incorrectly in conceptual knowledge (logit measure -2.05; SE 0.45), tended to have a positive attitude (+1.6 logit; 0.54) and practice (+1.63 logit; SE 0.61). Based on the results of the Wright map, the most challenging statement for respondents was to use masks. Knowledge and attitude were significantly associated with the practice of COVID-19 prevention (p<0.001). Attitude is the dominant factor influencing society practice towards COVID-19 (Stand. Estimate= 0.2737; 95% CI=0.1608-0.378;p<0.001) and knowledge play an important role in improving COVID-19 prevention behaviour. New insight from this research shows that even attitude is the most dominant factor, yet this study also indicated that knowledge is critical for positive attitudes of society to support COVID-19 prevention practices. Since, knowledge is the basis for positive attitudes in preventing the transmission of Covid 19. Therefore, health education that explicates concepts, sociality and disease transmission is important to boost attitudes of the society in the practice of Covid 19 prevention.

Knowledge, risk perception and uptake of COVID-19 vaccination among internally displaced persons in complex humanitarian emergency setting, Northeast Nigeria

BackgroundOwing to crowded and unsanitary conditions, internally displaced persons (IDPs) have an increased risk of COVID-19 infection. Adoption of COVID-19 preventive measures among this population is premised on accurate information, adequate knowledge, and risk perception. We assessed COVID-19 knowledge and risk perception and investigated the association between risk perception and COVID-19 preventive measures, including vaccination among IDPs in Northeast Nigeria.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study during July–December 2022 and sampled 2,175 IDPs using stratified sampling. We utilized a 12-point assessment tool to evaluate COVID-19 knowledge. Participants who scored ≥ 6 points were considered to have adequate knowledge. We used a 30-item Risk Behavior Diagnosis Scale to assess COVID-19 risk perception and evaluated each item on a 5-point Likert scale. Participants were divided into risk perception categories by the median of Likert scale scores. We performed weighted logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with risk perception. Pearson’s chi-squared with Rao-Scott adjustment was used to determine the relationship between risk perception and COVID-19 preventive measures.ResultsOf 2,175 participants, 55.7% were 18–39 years old, 70.9% were females, and 81.7% had no formal education. Among the IDPs, 32.0% (95% CI: 28.8 – 35.0) were considered to have adequate COVID-19 knowledge, and 51.3% (95% CI: 47.8 – 54.8) perceived COVID-19 risk as high. Moreover, 46.3% (95% CI: 42.8 – 50.0) had received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 33.1% (95% CI: 29.8 – 36.0) received two doses. Adequate knowledge (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 2.10, [95% CI: 1.46 – 3.03]) and post-primary education (AOR = 3.20, [95% CI: 1.59 – 6.46]) were associated with risk perception. Furthermore, high risk perception was significantly associated with wearing face masks (χ2 = 106.32, p-value < .001), practicing hand hygiene (χ2 = 162.24, p-value < .001), physical distancing (χ2 = 60.84, p-value < .001) and vaccination uptake (χ2 = 46.85, p-value < .001).ConclusionsThis study revealed gaps in COVID-19 knowledge, risk perception, and vaccination uptake but demonstrated a significant relationship between risk perception and COVID-19 preventive practices. Health education and risk communication should be intensified to improve knowledge, elicit stronger risk perception, and enhance COVID-19 preventive practices.

Attitudes and practices regarding COVID-19 preventive measures in diverse settings of Mozambique: a qualitative study

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) first broke out in Wuhan, China, on 29 December 2019; since then, it has taken hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide. Although adopting different containment measures, it spread rapidly over the world. In Mozambique, the government declared a state of emergency in March 2020, associated with a number of preventive measures to reduce the spread and delay the peak of virus’ infections. This paper seeks to analyze the attitudes and practices related to COVID-19 preventive measures during first period of state of emergency in Mozambique in both in rural and urban settings. Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional and qualitative study was conducted in six urban and five rural settings in Mozambique. In total, 295 semi-structured interviews were conducted with community members, of which 23 were face-to-face and 272 through telephone interviews. Interviews were digitally audio recorded, verbatim transcribed, and entered into an Excel matrix followed by a structured data content analysis. The Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) guidelines for reporting qualitative studies were performed. Results: In general, participants reported that it was necessary to change their habits, reducing activities and their mobility, such as: going out to work, for business, and visiting family, to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19. In addition, some participants reported adopting several COVID-19 preventive measures in public spaces and at home, such as: wearing a mask, washing their hands, and social and physical distancing. Conclusions: Although the majority of participants reported adopting most of COVID-19 preventive measures at home and in public spaces, much work is still needed to improve the knowledge of COVID-19 preventive measures and practices. The results of our study suggest a greater awareness of residents and users of public places about established standards and preventive procedures concerning COVID-19.

How Depression and Anxiety Impact Adherence to COVID-19 Prevention Practices in Urban Liberia.

Understanding the relationship between mental health and COVID-19 prevention practices is crucial but challenging considering COVID-19's impact on mental well-being. Liberia, a West African country, had well-documented rates of depression and anxiety prior to COVID-19. Liberia responded aggressively to COVID-19 while case counts remained low; thus, it is an ideal setting to study the relationship of mental health and COVID-19 prevention practices. A validated cross-sectional survey was administered to 250 randomly selected residents of Montserrado county, Liberia in June 2021, asking about their mental health and adherence to COVID-19 prevention practices. The survey included the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 to assess for anxiety and depression, respectively. Responses were analyzed using Spearman correlation and regression. Scores indicative of depression were present in 43% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 37-49) of participants; scores indicative of anxiety were present in 41% (95% CI: 34-47). Self-reported adherence to COVID-19 prevention practices was middling and varied greatly by behavior. Higher scores for depression and anxiety were significantly associated with lower adherence to COVID-19 prevention practices. Results indicate that while the spread of COVID-19 has certainly affected mental health, it is likely that pre-existing mental health conditions affected the spread of COVID-19 through lower adherence to prevention practices. Policymakers should consider investing in mental health services as an important step in managing future epidemics, and the needs of people with poor mental health when designing epidemic responses, particularly in low-income countries where the burdens of adherence are likely to be greater.

An Analysis of Various Factors Underlying Covid-19 Prevention Practice and Strategy in Jigjiga Town, Northeast Ethiopia.

COVID-19, a severe respiratory illness, is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The pandemic has devastated public health, economies, and social structures worldwide. In Ethiopia, the government and health authorities have implemented various COVID-19 prevention strategies to contain the spread of the virus. This study aims to investigates the factors influencing the implementation and effectiveness of COVID-19 prevention strategies in Jigjiga Town, Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2022 to December 2022, involving 593 participants in Jigjiga town. Multi-stage sampling techniques were used, and data was collected using a structured questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, attitude, knowledge, prevention practices, misconceptions, and COVID-19 prevention strategies. A multivariate model was developed to control for confounding, using variables suitable for multivariate logistic regression analysis with p-values less than 0.25. A variable is considered significant in multivariable logistic regression analysis if its p-value is less than 0.05. The study found that only 12.2% of participants used COVID-19 prevention strategies. Those with a bachelor's degree or higher had a strong association with prevention strategies (AOR: 20.08, 95% CI: 2.13-188.85). Participants informed about COVID-19 prevention were 6.886 times more likely to use strategies (95% CI: 2.975-15.938). People who received the COVID-19 vaccine were 1.14 times more likely to engage in reasonable preventive measures compared to those who did not get vaccinated. The study reveals low COVID-19 prevention practices among participants, with only 12.2% utilizing preventive strategies. The covariate, the kinds of information received on COVID-19 prevention mechanisms, participants with a favorable attitude toward COVID-19, educational level, mask-wearing, social distancing, vaccination, hand hygiene, public health communication, and household income were significantly associated with COVID-19 prevention strategies. The COVID-19vaccination promotes preventive practices, reduces infection risk, protects against severe illness, and decreases community spread.

Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine and associated factors among healthcare workers in Katsina state: a cross-sectional study in Northwest Nigeria

ObjectivesHealthcare workers were prioritised to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria. Administration of COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria was challenging because of a lack of trust in vaccine safety and vaccine...

COVID-19 knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices among government and private bank workers in Ethiopia.

Bank workers are among the many service-sector employees who are at risk of COVID-19 infection. Individual's adherence to control measures is affected by their COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). Since KAP is an important cognitive key in public health prevention and promotion, this study aimed to identify COVID-19 KAP-related gaps among bank workers in Dessie City, Ethiopia and to guide banks and health authorities in taking corrective actions. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1st to 30th, 2021 among 413 bank workers. A binary logistic regression was applied to determine association of independent variables with outcome variables using three different models. Variables at 95% confidence interval (CI) with a p < 0.25 from bivariate analysis were transported to three different multivariable logistic regression models and then variables with a p-value of 0.05 from the multivariable analysis of each model were declared as significantly associated with the outcome variables. The results of this study show that 84.7% [95% CI: 81.1-88.1] of bank workers had good knowledge, 50.4% positive attitude, and 50.6% [95% CI: 45.8-55.0] good practice towards prevention of COVID-19. The only variable significantly associated with knowledge in this study was positive attitude (AOR = 8.89; 95%CI: 3.34-23.64). Being ≥35 years old (AOR = 2.46; 95%CI: 1.25-4.84) and getting information on COVID-19 (AOR = 3.81; 95%CI: 1.84-7.91) were among factors significantly associated with attitude towards COVID-19 prevention, whereas being female and ≥ 35 years old (AOR = 2.56; 95%CI: 1.29-5.06) and (AOR = 2.73; 95% CI: 1.15-6.51), respectively were factors associated with good preventive practice towards COVID-19. Considering those significant factors responsible for determining COVID-19 KAP level of respondents, health education program and information dissemination are recommended, including appropriate strategies by policy makers and bank managers to develop effective interventions for COVID-19 transmission in banks.

Vaccine Adherence and Behavioral Changes of Adults Regarding Prevention of COVID-19: A Community Survey Using the Theory of Planned Behavior

Considering the current context of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, people should equally comply with both vaccines and non-therapeutic health protective behaviors. This study investigated public adherence to vaccination, behavioral changes against COVID-19, and their determinants in Bangladesh during the pandemic. The study was conducted during March and April 2022 among 940 Bangladeshi adults selected by multi-stage sampling, and data were collected through face-to-face interviews using questionnaires. Significant determinants and their relationships were described through hierarchical regression and structural equation modeling (SEM) based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Nearly half of the subjects (48.2%) showed poor vaccine adherence and COVID-19 prevention practices. During the pandemic crisis, the majority of the respondents (86.7%) used face masks, but only 12.7% of the respondents used them regularly. Less than half (44.9%) received COVID-19 vaccines regularly. Along with some sociodemographic factors, knowledge (p &lt; .001), attitude (p &lt; .01), and intention (p &lt; .001) regarding COVID-19 prevention were significant in predicting vaccine adherence and healthy practices in a hierarchical regression. Self-control was highly significant in SEM, showing the highest effect (p &lt; .001). Policies based on the TPB model could be adopted to improve preventive behaviors against COVID-19.

Intersection of Perceived COVID-19 Risk, Preparedness, and Preventive Health Behaviors: Latent Class Segmentation Analysis.

COVID-19 risk perception is a factor that influences the pandemic spread. Understanding the potential behavioral responses to COVID-19, including preparedness and adoption of preventive measures, can inform interventions to curtail its spread. We assessed self-perceived and latent class analysis (LCA)-based risks of COVID-19 and their associations with preparedness, misconception, information gap, and preventive practices among residents of a densely populated city in Nigeria. We used data from a cross-sectional survey conducted among residents (N=140) of Onitsha, Nigeria, in March 2020, before the government-mandated lockdown. Using an iterative expectation-maximization algorithm, we applied LCA to systematically segment participants into the most likely distinct risk clusters. Furthermore, we used bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models to determine the associations among knowledge, attitude, preventive practice, perceived preparedness, misconception, COVID-19 information gap, and self-perceived and LCA-based COVID-19 risks. Most participants (85/140, 60.7%) had good knowledge and did not perceive themselves as at risk of contracting COVID-19. Three-quarters of the participants (102/137, 74.6%; P<.001) experienced COVID-19-related information gaps, while 62.9% (88/140; P=.04) of the participants had some misconceptions about the disease. Conversely, most participants (93/140, 66.4%; P<.001) indicated that they were prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of the participants (94/138, 68.1%; P<.001) self-perceived that they were not at risk of contracting COVID-19 compared to 31.9% (44/138) who professed to be at risk of contracting COVID-19. Using the LCA, we identified 3 distinct risk clusters (P<.001), namely, prudent or low-risk takers, skeptics or high-risk takers, and carefree or very high-risk takers with prevalence rates (probabilities of cluster membership that represent the prevalence rate [γc]) of 47.5% (95% CI 40%-55%), 16.2% (95% CI 11.4%-20.9%), and 36.4% (95% CI 28.8%-43.9%), respectively. We recorded a significantly negative agreement between self-perceived risk and LCA-based segmentation of COVID-19 risk (κ=-0.218, SD 0.067; P=.01). Knowledge, attitude, and perceived need for COVID-19 information were significant predictors of COVID-19 preventive practices among the Onitsha city residents. The clustering patterns highlight the impact of modifiable risk behaviors on COVID-19 preventive practices, which can provide strong empirical support for health prevention policies. Consequently, clusters with individuals at high risk of contracting COVID-19 would benefit from multicomponent interventions delivered in diverse settings to improve the population-based response to the pandemic.

RESIDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICE TOWARD COVID-19 DURING THE NEW PERIOD IN PHONG DIEN DISTRICT, CAN THO CITY

Background: COVID-19, a global health threat for over two years, has extensive and widespread effects. Due to the ever-changing nature of the Coronavirus, new variants are continually appearing, and more contagious variants emerge (such as Delta or Omicron variants, etc.) if we neglect to prevent the Covid-19 disease. A recent World Health Organization report shows that good hand hygiene and simple, low-cost prevention practices can prevent more than 70% of infections of Covid-19. Therefore, strategies to practice personal hygiene, vaccination, avoid overcrowding and wear masks outdoors are still recommended for disease control and prevention. Our study aims to provide the public with accurate, objective, and scientific knowledge on COVID-19 and its prevention. Objectives: 1. Assess the current status of people's knowledge, attitudes, and practices in the Phong Dien district in the new period. 2. Determine some factors related to people's disease prevention practice. Materials and methods: 1632 participants in cross-sectional descriptive research. Collect data by directly interviewing the subjects through a set of prepared questionnaires. Results: The percentage of people with good general knowledge is 9.6%, positive attitude at 89.9%, and good general practice is 32.5%. Most people know the cause of Covid-19 (99.1%); the lowest knowledge is that eating a healthy diet can fight Covid-19, accounting for 11.1%. Regarding COVID-19 prevention practices, 52.0% of people have time to wash their hands ≥20 seconds, and most of them wash their hands more than 90% of the time after touching surfaces such as door locks, elevator buttons when coughing, sneezing, etc. The content about good attitudes accounted for 85.3% to 96.4%. Subjects who have been infected with COVID19 good practices is 1.5 times higher than those who have never been infected with COVID-19 (p=0.02), families with ever infected with COVID-19 people have good practices 1.3 times higher than families without people infected with COVID-19 times (p=0.05). People with good knowledge and a positive attitude have an excellent practice rate 2.7 times higher than the other group, p&lt;0.05. Conclusions: more attention should be paid to the role of COVID-19 epidemic prevention in the new normal period.

Perceived Effectiveness of COVID-19 Preventive Practices and Behavioral Intention: Survey of a Representative Adult Sample in the United States.

Using existing models of behavioral health promotion, specifically the Extended Parallel Process Model, previous research has identified factors that may impact engagement in preventive health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic such as perceived threat, perceived susceptibility to the threat, perceived severity, and perceived efficacy. This study aims to examine the role of perceived effectiveness of COVID-19 preventive behaviors, perceived susceptibility, perceived threat, and perceived severity of COVID-19 in participants' intentions to engage in Centers for Disease Control (CDC)-recommended individual health behaviors in the first year of the pandemic. In October 2020, a representative sample of 506 US adults completed a web-based survey through the RAND American Life Panel. The study primarily found that participants who perceived that CDC-recommended health practices were effective had stronger intentions to engage in those practices. The second strongest correlate was participants' perceived severity of COVID-19 across the United States. Perceived effectiveness of recommended practices accounted for the largest variance in behavioral intention. However, analysis of individual behaviors indicated a mismatch in the behaviors perceived to be the most effective (avoiding sick people and mask-wearing) and those participants indicated intention to engage in (throwing away used tissues, avoiding sick people, and coughing into their elbows) in the next 30 days. The authors recommend tailoring public health messaging to address the perceived threat of COVID-19 and self-efficacy. Thus, health promotion efforts should emphasize the effectiveness of CDC-recommended practices while highlighting the pandemic's severity. Additionally, rebuilding trust in public health messaging and messengers is necessary to increase perceived self-efficacy. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, health messaging must continue to promote and build trust in CDC-recommended health practices and educate regarding the efficacy of vaccination and other preventive behaviors.

COVID-19 prevention and rehabilitation related knowledge and practices among Egyptian post-COVID-19 patients.

Even with the mild form of COVID-19, people need to practice the proper preventive measures to achieve health, safety and control spread of infection. Few studies assessed sound disinfection and rehabilitative knowledge. This study aims to assess the self-reported, knowledge of specific disinfection measures among post-recovery COVID-19 patients and identifying the most requested knowledge items regarding the prevention and post COVID rehabilitation measures. This is an exploratory cross-sectional study using an electronically open survey. A pre-tested e-questionnaire was employed for data assembling. The sample size was calculated and a total of 417 people completed the questionnaire. Knowledge score was calculated for preventive and disinfection measures during and after COVID 19 infection. It comprised three sections: socio-demographics, study participants' knowledge regarding precautions, disinfection, and rehabilitation measures, as well as sources of knowledge about COVID-19. All participants infected with COVID-19 (82%) reported self-isolation for ten days after confirming the infection, with only 18% required hospitalization. Regarding the information needed by the participants, the highest requests were for the rehabilitation information after COVID-19 and preventive measures. Females under 30 years old and those with a college education or higher were significantly more likely to request rehabilitation information after COVID-19 (P-value 0.05). Nevertheless, males were significantly more interested in information regarding preventive measures; They were over 30 years old and had education below university (P-value 0.05). Participants (above 30 years old) had significantly higher knowledge of preventive and disinfection measures during and after COVID-19 infection (P = 0.030). After the COVID-19 experience, most participants demonstrated a great desire for rehabilitation information and proper preventive measures. This paves the way for delivering self-management and rehabilitation knowledge and emphasizing the significance of various prevention modalities.

Schools and Wastewater Surveillance: Practical Implications for an Emerging Technology to Impact Child Health.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater surveillance has emerged as a public health tool that supplements traditional surveillance methods used to detect the prevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in communities. In May 2020, the Houston Health Department (HHD) partnered with a coalition of municipal and academic partners to develop a wastewater monitoring and reporting system for the city of Houston, Texas. The HHD subsequently launched a program to conduct targeted wastewater sampling at 52 school sites located in a large, urban school district in Houston. Data generated by this program are shared with school district officials and nurses from participating schools. Although initial feedback from these stakeholders indicated that they considered the wastewater data valuable, the emergency nature of the pandemic prevented a systematic evaluation of the program. To address this gap in knowledge, the HHD and Rice University conducted a study to determine how wastewater data are used to make decisions about COVID-19 prevention and mitigation practices in schools. Our findings indicate that maximizing the utility of wastewater data in the school context will require the development of communication strategies and education efforts tailored to the needs of specific audiences and improving collaboration between local health departments, school districts, and school nurses.

Sport Celebrities’ COVID-19 Prevention on Social Media: The Effect of Credibility, Social Distance, Identification, and Message’s Power Style on Health Behavioral Intentions

During the COVID-19 outbreak, there emerged on social media an active cohort of sport celebrities, promoting through their messages virus-prevention behaviors. The study tested how people’s intentions to adopt COVID-19 prevention practices were affected by their perceived credibility of sport celebrities, perceived social distance of sport celebrities, and identification with sport celebrities. The study also tested how the message’s power style moderated those relations. The researchers selected four sport celebrities who were active on social media and applied powerful and powerless linguistic styles in developing their social media messages. College students ( N = 284) were randomly exposed to one of eight stimuli and asked the questions in the self-administered online survey. The perceived credibility positively affected COVID-19 prevention intentions regardless of the message’s power style. The perceived social distance was effective for intentions only in the powerless message. Identification with sport celebrities was effective regardless of the message’s power style, with the powerless message being more effective than the powerful one. The study provides a theoretical perspective on how people utilize sport celebrities’ characteristics as peripheral cues during health information processing. Also, the study offers practical implications for leveraging social media and sports celebrities to promote virus prevention.

COVID-19 preventive social-behavioural practices and exposure to SARS-CoV-2 among residents in the city of Yaounde: Lessons from the early phase of the pandemic in Cameroon.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions remain key in mitigating the spread of SARS-CoV-2. We sought to assess COVID-19 preventive, social-behavioural practices, and SARS-CoV-2 exposure through IgG rapid tests. This was a cross-sectional survey among 971 respondents residing in 180 households within the "Cite Verte" health district of Yaounde-Cameroon, from October-November 2020. Using a structured questionnaire, data on SARS-CoV-2 preventive and social behavioural practices were collected, while exposure to SARS-CoV-2 was determined by IgG profiling. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Overall, 971 participants were enrolled, among whom 56.5% were females. The age group 15-29 (33.5%) and those with a secondary level of education (44.7%) were most represented. Regarding preventive/social behavioural practices, the least respected measure was "stopped work", 49.1%, while the most respected was "Respect of hygiene rules", 93.8%. Women obeyed preventive measures more than men, with 87.6% vs 81.0% adhering to the lockdown, (p = 0.005) and 95.5% vs 91.7% to hygiene rules (p = 0.017). The age range 45-64 years was the least adherent to the lockdown rule, with 75.2% (38/153), p<0.0001. Only 24.7% (73/295) and 6.1% (59/295) of the symptomatic individuals reported having sought medical consultation and Covid-19 testing respectively. In addition, up to 69.8% (555/795) felt healthcare facilities were high-risk sites for getting infected, p = 0.002. Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 by IgG positivity was 31.1% (302/971), with men recording a higher proportion of viral exposure, 51.0% (154/302), p = 0.021. After adjusting for gender, age, education, and occupation; salaried worker (p = 0.029; OR: 0.29), and trading (p = 0.001; OR: 0.23) least complied with lockdown rule. In this community of Cameroonian residents highly exposed to COVID-19, many perceived healthcare facilities as high-risk zones for SARS-CoV-2 infection and consequently did not seek medical interventions. Thus, in the context of such a pandemic, advocacy on risk communication and community engagement for health-seeking attitudes should preferentially target men and those afraid of pandemics.

Individual-level preventive measures during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic among Bangladeshi residents

COVID-19 causes mild to severe respiratory illness in humans. Government and non-government authorities along with telecommunication, print and electronic media undertook extensive advertising campaign regarding protective measures against COVID-19 to raise the public awareness. Therefore, this web-based cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate peoples' responses towards COVID-19 during the first wave of COVID-19 in Bangladesh. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses to estimate the association between demographic characteristics, awareness, and individual preventive measures. The overall awareness level of the majority of the respondents (89%, n=920) was good, but the overall score for individual-level preventive measures during lockdown was poor to moderate. The relation between a good level of awareness and a higher level of educational status was found statistically significant (aOR 5.87, 95% CI: 1.58-21.86). Service holders were two times more likely to follow COVID-19 prevention practices than students (aOR 2.08, 95% CI: 1.24-3.51). Despite having adequate knowledge on awareness, many respondents were reluctant to follow preventive measures during the lockdown. The outcomes of this study highlight the requirement for stringent execution of preventative measures by law enforcement agencies to stop the transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

Understanding the challenges and gaps in community engagement interventions for COVID-19 prevention strategies in Rohingya refugees: a qualitative study with frontline workers and community representatives.

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are vulnerable to infectious diseases such as COVID-19 due to the crowded living conditions with fragile shelters, and limited water, sanitation and hygiene facilities and practices. While risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) is the cornerstone of outbreak control, there is limited evidence available on the effectiveness of the RCCE strategies in this setting. The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of RCCE strategies and to explore the challenges and community recommendations in relation to COVID-19 preventive measures in the context of Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. It was a qualitative study. Methods used were (a) observation of RCCE intervention by 3 clinical supervisors accompanying 25 Community Health Workers (CHWs) and (b) 5 focus group discussions engaging 60 community representatives. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach, separately for observation and focus group discussions. The study identified a number of good practices of RCCE, including selecting CHWs from the local community, engaging female CHWs, using local dialect, and collaborating with community/religious leaders. Certain good practices need scaling up, such as utilization of multiple communication methods and interpersonal communication skills. Some areas need improvement, such as CHWs being overburdened with multiple tasks, less effort to active listening, repeated delivery of same messages, inadequate linkage to culture, context, and resources, and less effort to empower the community. Engaging the community, five critical themes were identified in relation to poor COVID-19 preventive practices: culture, religion, and language; local context and resources; community trust and interaction with aid workers; communication methods; and gender and social inclusion. Religious misinterpretation, cultural barriers, physical barriers, lack of resources, breach of trust between the community and aid workers, inconsistent/complex messages, lack of gender and social inclusion, and stigmatization are among some key factors. Some key actions were recommended to improve COVID-19 RCCE strategy. We urge the RCCE partners to make use of the findings and recommendations to develop a robust RCCE strategy relevant to local culture and context, responsive to people's concerns and needs, and inclusive of gender, age and social vulnerabilities.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward COVID-19 prevention in Yemen: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Pandemics, especially in fragile war-torn countries like Yemen, challenge their already strained health systems. Community adherence to pandemic prevention measures is necessary to curb the severity and spread of emerging pandemics - which is influenced by factors, such as people's knowledge and attitudes toward the pandemic. No studies in Aden have been published on the communities' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward COVID-19 prevention to date. To understand adherence to pandemic prevention measures in contexts with fragile health systems, this study investigated KAP of Yemeni participants toward the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted face-to-face semi-structured questionnaires among 400 eligible participants whom were identified for participation in this study through systematic household sampling from eight districts in Aden, Yemen. Eligible participants were Yemeni community members who were ≥ 18 years, living for more than 10 years in Yemen, and were willing to voluntarily participate in the study. The questionnaire included questions surrounding the participants' COVID-19 knowledge (e.g., awareness of spread and prevention), attitudes (e.g., willingness to accept the vaccine or other prevention measures), and prevention practices during the pandemic (e.g., mask wearing, social distancing, vaccine uptake). Total KAP scores were calculated. Univariate and bivariate statistical analyses were conducted using STATA 13 software. From January to May 2021 we conducted 400 questionnaires with Yemeni community members. The average age was 41.5 ± 14.5 years (range 18-86 years). The results demonstrated that the participants in this study had an intermediate knowledge (53%) and fair attitude (58%) scores. However, participants reported very poor COVID-19 prevention practices- with only 11% demonstrating these practices. Only 25% (100/400) practiced social distancing, 25% (98/400) wore a mask, and only 6% (27/400) of participants accepted (at least one dose of) the COVID-19 vaccine. Factors associated with increased knowledge were being male, married, and surprisingly those having a primary and middle school education levels (p < 0.05). Also participants who were diagnosed with COVID-19 or had a family member diagnosed with COVID-19 (vs. those not diagnosed OR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.07-3.78, p < 0.05) were more likely to know that the vaccine protects against severe COVID-19 infection and were more likely to apply good practices such as accepting the vaccine (OR = 2.65, 95% CI 1.17-6.00, p < 0.05) compared to those who were not. These findings raise awareness for the need of community-oriented education programs for COVID-19 which considers associated factors to improve the level of public knowledge, attitudes, and practices.

Covid-19 Prevention Practices and Associated Factors among Workers in Yirgalem Agro-Industry Park, Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia: A Cross Sectional Study

Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak resulted in millions of cases and deaths with an incredible pace of spread. It has been a global public health crisis since December 2019. Though the work behaviors of some organizations can facilitate more ways for the mode of transmission, the potential work areas for the risk of infection are not identified yet. Designing intervention strategies based on the risky assessment findings of a specific population or organization is better. The problem is more significant in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the prevention practices and associated factors of COVID-19 among workers in Yirgalem Agro-Industrial Park, Sidama Regional State; Ethiopia, 2020 Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted from June 15th to August 15th, 2020. Yirgalem Agro-Industrial Park had 233 workers during the study period and data were collected from all of them. Collected data were entered into Epi Data 3.1 and exported to SPSS 22 for analysis. Factors associated with the practice of prevention were then analyzed. Results: Among the respondents, 91.8%, 75.1%, and 48.9% had good knowledge, positive attitudes, and good practice toward COVID-19 prevention strategies respectively. Multivariate regression revealed that age, spiritual or sin, training, knowledge, attitude, opposition to wearing, ordinary residents, and hoping leaders can win against COVID-19 were predicted practices of COVID-19 prevention strategies Conclusion: The practice of COVID-19 prevention strategies was so poor and needed adequate attention. Age, spiritual/sin as a cause, prior training, knowledge, attitude, opposing mask-wearing, and belief in whether to defeat COVID-19 or not were identified as the predictors. It is so important to revamp the current practices and assure the implementation of the standard as expected.

‘We were having a rather long conversation about the uproar’: memorable messages about COVID-19 vaccinations in a mostly young, white sample

ABSTRACT Background Interpersonal communication motivates many decisions related to COVID-19 prevention practices. Previous research shows that the frequency of interpersonal communication is significant. Less is known, however, about who messages interpersonal communication about COVID-19 and what information those messages convey. We sought to understand better these interpersonal communication messages for individuals who are asked to become vaccinated against COVID-19. Methods Using a memorable messages approach, we interviewed 149 adults, mostly young, white, college students, about their vaccination choices as they were influenced by messages about vaccination they had received from respected members of their interpersonal networks. Date was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Three themes emerged from these interviews of primarily young, white, college students: a dialectic of feeling forced to become vaccinated vs. choice to become vaccinated; a tension between protecting oneself vs. protecting others through vaccination; and, finally, perceptions that family members who were also medical experts were particularly influential. Conclusions The dialectic between feelings of choice versus force may require further study into the longer-term impacts of messages that may prompt feelings of reactance and produce undesired outcomes. The dialectic between messages being remembered for their altruism as compared to their selfishness opens opportunities to consider the relative influence of these two impulses. These findings also provide insight into broader topics about countering vaccine hesitancy for other diseases. These findings may not be generalizable to older, more diverse populations.