Community’s misconception about COVID-19 and its associated factors among Gondar town residents, Northwest Ethiopia
Open Access
- 7 December 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Tropical Medicine and Health
- Vol. 48 (1), 1-9
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-020-00279-8
Abstract
Despite the implementation of various strategies such as the declaration of COVID-19 emergency state, staying at home, lockdown, and massive protective equipment distribution, still COVID-19 is increasing alarmingly. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the community’s perception of COVID-19 and its associated factors in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was employed among 635 Gondar administrative town residents, from April 20 to April 27, 2020. Study participants were selected using a cluster sampling technique. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Epi-Data version 4.6 and STATA 14 were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Logistic regressions (bivariable and multivariable) were performed to identify statistically significant variables at p < 0.05. Of the 635 study participants, 623 have completed the study with a 98.1% response rate. The mean age of participants was 36.32 years (SD ± 13.24). The overall magnitude of the community’s misconception about COVID-19 stood at 56.9% (349). Age and religion showed a negative association with misconceptions. To be specific, being in the age group of 27–33 (AOR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.32, 0.86) and being a Muslim (AOR 0.51, 95% CI 0.34, 0.78) were negatively associated with the misconception of COVID-19, whereas occupation and awareness showed positive associations with the misconception. To be specific, having an unemployed occupational status (AOR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.14, 2.82) and being unaware of the number of cases of COVID-19 (AOR 1.66, 95% CI 1.05, 2.62) were positively associated with the community’s misconception on COVID-19. The magnitude of the community’s misconception about COVID-19 among Gondar town residents was high. Age, religion, unemployment, and unawareness about the number of COVID-19 cases were significant factors of misconception about COVID-19. Thus, stakeholders ought to build community perceptions about COVID 19. To resolve misinformation about COVID-19, accurate and relevant information should be provided to the community using appropriate communication media.Keywords
This publication has 22 references indexed in Scilit:
- Hospitalization Rates and Characteristics of Patients Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 — COVID-NET, 14 States, March 1–30, 2020Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), 2020
- Does comorbidity increase the risk of patients with COVID-19: evidence from meta-analysisAging, 2020
- Use of Rapid Online Surveys to Assess People's Perceptions During Infectious Disease Outbreaks: A Cross-sectional Survey on COVID-19Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2020
- Defining the Epidemiology of Covid-19 — Studies NeededThe New England Journal of Medicine, 2020
- Neurological Complications of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): EncephalopathyCureus, 2020
- Thrombocytopenia is associated with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections: A meta-analysisClinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry, 2020
- The pandemic of social media panic travels faster than the COVID-19 outbreakJournal of Travel Medicine, 2020
- Social network targeting to maximise population behaviour change: a cluster randomised controlled trialThe Lancet, 2015
- How Adolescents Develop Responsibility: What Can Be Learned From Youth ProgramsJournal of Research on Adolescence, 2014
- Age differences in information acquisition strategiesExperimental Aging Research, 1982