Knowledge, Attitude And Practice Of Covid-19 Preventive Measures Among Residents Of Oghara, Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Since its appearance in 2019, the coronavirus has presented a considerable challenge to public health. Poor knowledge, attitudes and practice of COVID-19 preventive measures have hindered control measures especially in developing countries like Nigeria. This study evaluated the knowledge, attitude, and practice of preventive measures against COVID-19 among residents of Oghara community in Delta state, Nigeria.

Methodology: It was a descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted among 304 permanent residents of Oghara selected through a multi-stage cluster sampling technique. Data was collected using a researcher administered questionnaire and analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 26.0. Both bivariate and multivariate analysis were done with p value set at 0.05.

Results: The mean age of respondents was 30.6 (±11.8) years. Majority of the respondents were female (54%), Christians (92.8%), and had tertiary education (56.6%). Seventy-four-point three percent of respondents had good knowledge, 94.4% had a positive attitude, and 61.5% had good practice of Covid-19 preventive measures. The significant predictors of practice of covid-19 preventive measures were secondary education (AOR= 1.849; 95%CI= 1.01-3.38), health worker (AOR= 0.387; 95%CI= 0.155-0.968), farmer (AOR= 11.87; 95%CI= 1.10-127.80) and positive attitude (AOR= 0.242; 95%CI= 0.069-0.845) towards covid-19 preventive measures.

Conclusion: Most respondents had good knowledge and positive attitude towards Covid-19 preventive measures. However, it did not translate to a commensurate level of good practice of COVID-19 preventive measures. A focused health communication programme is recommended to strengthen community response towards threats of covid-19 by bridging the gap between knowledge, attitude and practice of covid-19 preventive measures.