Determinants of knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices for COVID-19 infection in Goma, DRC
Main Article Content
Abstract
Purpose: In view of the resurgence of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the North Kivu province, particularly in Goma city, the epicenter of the disease, it is necessary to study the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the population of Goma city on COVID-19 infection.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 15 to August 15, 2021. A 3-degree cluster survey was conducted in Goma city, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bivariate and multivariate analyzes were performed by the STATA 15 software.
Results: 1,194 individuals responded to the survey and had heard of COVID-19; 74.62% of the respondents had good knowledge, 77.39% had a positive attitude, and 45.48% practiced preventive measures against COVID-19. Determinants of good knowledge were the age groups 30-39 years and 40-49 years, secondary and higher/university educational levels, and not having suffered from COVID-19. Determinants of positive attitude were female sex, having a professional occupation, having a family member or close relative who had suffered from COVID-19, and living in the Karisimbi municipality. Determinants of better practice were female sex, secondary and higher/university educational levels, not having a professional occupation, and having a family member or close relative who had suffered from COVID-19.
Conclusion: To effectively control this epidemic, it is essential to strengthening risk communication with full community participation. This strategy must be coupled with measures to make prevention methods available to the benefit of the entire population.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
References
- World Health Organization. WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19, 11 March 2020.
- Mudenda S. Letter to Editor: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): a global health problem. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research Science & Technology, 2020, 4(1): 1-2. https://doi.org/10.31531/2581-3080.1000141
- Ministry of Health, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Stop Coronavirus COVID-19 DRC, Accessed September 21, 2020. https://www.stopcoronavirusrdc.info
- Ministère de la Santé Publique, République Démocratique du Congo. Epidémie de la maladie à coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) en République démocratique du Congo - Rapport de situation No 248/2021 du 05/09/2021 + Hebdo S35/2021. https://reliefweb.int
- Mukuku O, Tawi JM, Takulibwe AMK, et al. Quel serait l’impact de la réponse à la pandémie de la maladie à coronavirus (COVID-19) sur les enfants de la rue à Lubumbashi. Revue de l’Infirmier Congolais, 2020, 4(1): 4-5.
- Claude KM, Serge MS, Alexis KK, et al. Prevention of COVID-19 in internally displaced persons camps in War-Torn North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: a mixed-methods study. Global Health: Science and Practice, 2020, 8(4): 638-653. https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-20-00272
- Olum R, Chekwech G, Wekha G, et al. Coronavirus disease-2019: knowledge, attitude, and practices of health care workers at Makerere University Teaching Hospitals, Uganda. Front Public Health, 2020, 8: 181. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00181
- Alawa J, Al-Ali S,Walz L, et al. Knowledge and perceptions of COVID-19, prevalence of pre-existing conditions and access to essential resources in Somali IDP camps: a cross-sectional study. BMJ open, 2020, 11(6): e044411. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044411
- World Health Organization. Infodemic management: a key component of the COVID-19 global response. Weekly Epidemiological Record, 2020, 95(16): 145-148.
- Organisation mondiale de la Sant´e. Maladie `a coronavirus (COVID-19) conseils au public : Mythbusters. Gen`eve : OMS ; Derni`ere mise `a jour, 27 avril 2020. https://www.who.int
- Carsi Kuhangana T, Kamanda Mbayo C, Pyana Kitenge J, et al. COVID-19 pandemic: knowledge and attitudes in public markets in the former Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020, 17(20): 7441. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17207441
- Michel-Kabamba N, Ngatu NR, Leon-Kabamba N, et al. Occupational COVID-19 prevention among congolese healthcare workers: knowledge, practices, PPE compliance, and safety imperatives. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 2020, 6(1): 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed6010006
- Leye MMM, Keita IM and Bassoum O. Connaissances, attitudes et pratiques de la population de la r´egion de Dakar sur la COVID-19. Sante Publique, 2020, 32(5): 549-561. https://doi.org/10.3917/spub.205.0549
- Kebede Y, Yitayih Y, Birhanu Z, et al. Knowledge, perceptions and preventive practices towards COVID-19 early in the outbreak among Jimma university medicalcenter visitors, Southwest Ethiopia. PLoS One, 2020, 15(5): e0233744. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233744
- Zhong BL, Luo W, Li HM, et al. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards COVID-19 among Chinese residents during the rapid rise period of the COVID-19 outbreak: a quick online crosssectional survey. International journal of biological sciences, 2020, 16(10): 1745. https://doi.org/10.7150/ijbs.45221
- Cao J, Hu X, Cheng W, et al. Correction to: Clinical features and short-term outcomes of 18 patients with corona virus disease 2019 in intensive care unit. Intensive Care Medicine, 2020, 46(6): 1298. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-020-06037-y
- Xiang YT, Yang Y, Li W, et al. Timely mental health care for the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak is urgently needed. Lancet Psychiatry, 2020, 7(3): 228-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30046-8
- Lei L, Huang X, Zhang S, et al. Comparison of prevalence and associated factors of anxiety and depression among people affected by versus people unaffected by quarantine during the COVID- 19 epidemic in Southwestern China. Medical science monitor: international medical journal of experimental and clinical research, 2020, 26: e924609-1. https://doi.org/10.12659/MSM.924609
- OMS et UNICEF. La stigmatisation sociale associée à la maladie des coronavirus (COVID-19). Gen`eve: OMS; 2020. https://communityengagementhub.org
- Zhong BL, Luo W, Li HM, et al. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards COVID-19 among Chinese residents during the rapid rise period of the COVID-19 outbreak: a quick online crosssectional survey. International journal of biological sciences, 2020, 16(10): 1745-1752. https://doi.org/10.7150/ijbs.45221
- Clements JM. Knowledge and Behaviors Toward COVID-19 among US Residents During the Early Days of the Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Online Questionnaire. JMIR Public Health Surveill, 2020, 6(2): e19161. https://doi.org/10.2196/19161
- Wolf MS, Serper M, Opsasnick L, et al. Awareness, attitudes, and actions related to COVID-19 among adults with chronic conditions at the onset of the US outbreak: a cross-sectional survey. Annals of internal medicine, 2020, 173(2): 100-109. https://doi.org/10.7326/M20-1239