A cross-sectional study of COVID-19 knowledge, beliefs and prevention behaviors among adults in Senegal

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 is an ongoing threat to global public health since its emergence at the end of 2019, yet little is known about how populations in francophone West Africa have responded to COVID-19 in their daily lives. Senegal, in particular, has been noted for its relative success in mitigating the spread and impact of COVID-19. We report original research findings on COVID-19 beliefs and prevention behaviors in a sample of Senegalese adults. Methods: A multi-modal cross-sectional study was conducted to describe COVID-19 beliefs and prevention behaviors in a sample of Senegalese adults and to identify potential predictors of prevention behaviors. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics were generated to describe the sample and explore potential correlations. Results: Mask wearing, hand washing, and use of hand sanitizer were most frequently reported. Social distancing and staying at home were also reported albeit to a lower degree. We also identified a range of psychosocial and demographic predictors for COVID-19 prevention behaviors. Men, compared to women, had lower odds (OR=0.59) of reporting prevention behaviors. Rural residents (vs. urban; OR=1.49) and participants with at least a high school education (vs. less than high school education; OR=1.33) were more likely to report COVID-19 prevention behaviors. Discussion: Stakeholders and decision makers in Senegal and across Africa can use place-based evidence like ours to address COVID-19 risk factors and intervene effectively with policies and programming. Use of both phone and online surveys enhances representation and study generalizability and should be considered in future research with hard-to-reach populations.