Africa and the Covid-19 Information Framing Crisis

Ogola, George

doi:10.17645/mac.v8i2.3223

Cited by 20 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Since our findings support prior studies that religious faith and politics play a critical role in shaping COVID-19 risk perception in Africa, there is an urgent need for policy makers to work collaboratively with religious and political leaders to understand their needs and concerns while simultaneously working to ensure they provide accurate information about the causes, prevention, and risk of the epidemic. We strongly support the ideas of Ogola [ 44 ] who claimed that many COVID-19 messages reaching the population are misinformation coming from several actors. In Malawi, religious leaders and politicians are spreading this misinformation.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Religion, politics and COVID-19 risk perception among urban residents in Malawi

et al. 2022

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Introduction Majority of Malawians have not yet adopted COVID-19 mitigation measures despite having knowledge about its infectivity, morbidity, and fatality. Understanding drivers of hesitancy to adoption of COVID-19 mitigation measures is critical as it can inform prevention programs. This study explores Malawians’ COVID-19 risk perception, and the associated constraints in the adoption of mitigation efforts. A Health Belief Model (HBM) approach was used to understand perceived factors that undermine public health COVID-19 messages to reduce the spread of the pandemic in Malawi. Methods The study applied rapid appraisal and photovoice qualitative inquiry to comprehend risk perception regarding COVID-19. We purposively selected 52 participants from three major cities in Malawi. Audio and video interviews were transcribed verbatim, and transcripts were coded manually to derive key themes and concepts. Results The study identified that social factors particularly religious and political beliefs influenced COVID-19 risk perception. Specific religious beliefs pertaining to individuals recognizing signs of the ‘Christian apocalypse’ were particularly associated with lower risk perceptions. Politically, participants believed COVID-19 lockdown measures were a ploy by the then-ruling party to remain in power. Conclusion The study suggests that religious beliefs and political environment undermine self -perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 among urban dwellers in Malawi. We recommend that diverse actors in Malawi should collaborate to promote the dissemination of accurate COVID-19 discourses and reduce the severity of the pandemic’s impact in Malawi.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Religion, politics and COVID-19 risk perception among urban residents in Malawi

et al. 2022

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“…Social and economic pressures in our study population were aggravated by persistent disbelief, rumors and misinformation about COVID-19. Research has shown that the public can easily distrust scientific evidence and believe rumors and conspiracy theories [ 33 , 34 ]. Those who believe rumors and conspiracy theories are less likely to adopt health-protective behaviors such as wearing masks or social distancing [ 33 , 35 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in social mixing and attitudes and practices to precautionary measures in a maturing COVID-19 pandemic in six communities in Sudan: a qualitative study

Ahmed,

AbuKoura,

Ahmed

et al. 2024

BMC Public Health

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Introduction With low COVID-19 vaccination coverage, non-pharmaceutical interventions were critical to mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic in Sudan. We explored changes in social contact patterns, risk perception, attitudes, and practices toward protective measures during an evolving COVID-19 outbreak in six illustrative communities in Sudan. Methods This qualitative study took place in six communities in five Sudanese states using focus group discussions with community members and non-participant structured observations in public spaces between March 2021 and April 2021. A total of 117 participants joined 24 group discussions. We used a two-stage thematic analysis. Results The perceived importance of compliance with individual preventative measures among those who believe in COVID-19 was higher than observed compliance with behaviors in most study sites. Adherence was consistently low and mainly driven by enforced movement restrictions. As restrictions were lifted, social contacts outside the household resumed pre-COVID-19 levels, and risk perception and individual and institutional adherence to protective measures diminished. We identified an environment that is socially and economically unsupportive of preventive practices, compounded by widespread rumours, misinformation, and mistrust in the government-led response. However, we identified new social habits that can contribute to reducing COVID-19 transmission. Conclusion The unfavourable social and economic environment, coupled with the low visibility of the pandemic and pandemic response, has likely modulated the influence of higher risk perception on adopting precautionary behaviours by individuals. Governments and non-governmental actors should increase the visibility of the pandemic and pandemic response, enforce and incentivise infection control measures in public areas, promote emerging preventive social habits, and actively track and address rumours and misinformation related to COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines.

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“…The response to WHO's advice on the need to remain faithful to science has therefore been variable. It has ranged from total acceptance of the universalised WHO-sanctioned narratives (Ogola 2020), to reluctant acceptance, to outright rejection. Importantly, however, legitimate news on the pandemic has been largely framed within the context of Western scientific "truth", in effect mobilising existing and historical anti-Western sentiment across political, commercial, cultural and social interests.…”

Section: The Covid-19 Pandemic and The Hierarchies Of Knowledge Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Covid-19, Knowledge Production and the (Un)Making of Truths and Fakes

Ogola

2021

Journal of African Cultural Studies

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The Covid-19 pandemic is one of the most disruptive phenomena of our time. It has threatened and destabilised the normative, it has stoked fear and anxiety, and laid bare the fragility of our systems of governance, medical science and the immanent tensions within our knowledge systems. The pandemic has provoked a fundamental collision of these systems, leaving in its wake confusion as we struggle over meaning; the production of meaning, its husbandry and political instrumentalisation as a tool for domination and resistance. This article explores the emerging reconfiguration of the certainty about what is authentic or the truth, and of the un/certainty of the fake and fakery as alternative or complementary sites of truth(s). It argues that we are now faced with a complex and layered contestation over who gets to define the truth and the fake, and under what terms. This conversation is deeply insurrectional for it invites the whole world, centres and margins alike, to confront how political, cultural, economic and social values and structures of knowledge production are implicated in the making and unmaking of the authentic, of truth as well as of the fake.

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Africa and the Covid-19 Information Framing Crisis

Cited by 20 publications

References 4 publications

Religion, politics and COVID-19 risk perception among urban residents in Malawi

Religion, politics and COVID-19 risk perception among urban residents in Malawi

Changes in social mixing and attitudes and practices to precautionary measures in a maturing COVID-19 pandemic in six communities in Sudan: a qualitative study

Covid-19, Knowledge Production and the (Un)Making of Truths and Fakes

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