COVID-19: Knowledge, Perceptions and Attitudes of Residents in the Northern Region of Ghana, West Africa

Abstract

Africa is gradually becoming an epicentre for the COVID-19 pandemic. From the current trends of the disease, Africa might be the last hardest hit continent. While scientific investigations are ongoing to develop effective management through medications and vaccines, existing knowledge, perceptions and attitudes could be harnessed to develop an effective strategy to curb community transmission of the COVID-19. The present study assessed the awareness level, perceptions and attitudes of people living in rural, peri-urban and urban communities in Northern Ghana and their preparedness for the prevention and containment of COVID-19. We conducted a face-to-face interview and administered 553 semi-structured questionnaires in eighteen (18) rural and peri-urban/urban communities under Tolon District, Kumbungu Districts, Sagnarigu Municipality, Savelugu Municipality and Tamale Metropolis from 23rd of April to 8th of June 2020. The percentage of male to female among the respondents was 56.8% and 43.2%, respectively. Nearly half (41%) of the respondents had no formal education and 91.3% of them were Muslims. Most of the respondents (85%) held the view that COVID-19 is a punishment from God. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) between the time rural and peri-urban/urban communities first heard of COVID-19. Majority (63%) of the rural respondents depended on radio, while the peri-urban/urban respondents (51%) relied on television for information on COVID-19. All respondents were aware of COVID-19 and 91.7% could mention at least two symptoms of the disease but 18% believed there was no COVID-19 in Ghana. Most of the respondents (69.6%) believed they will not contract the virus. Our findings may provide useful data to government and other stakeholders in the COVID-19 fight.

Knowledge and Practice Related to COVID-19 and Mental Health among Adults in Sub-Saharan Africa

“…53,54 This survey also demonstrated that mainstream media (radio and television) were the main reported sources of information about the pandemic. 38,[44][45][46][47]55 Our study showed that, even though the majority of adults identified the recommended preventive measures in the knowledge assessment, the practice of these measures was poor, especially for keeping distance from sick people, avoiding social gatherings, and disinfecting contaminated surfaces. The practice of disinfecting surfaces is much lower in rural sites than in urban sies, which could be due to unaffordability, unavailability or access to disinfectants, or less attention given to the effect of disinfectants in preventing the transmission of the virus.…”

Community’s misconception about COVID-19 and its associated factors: Evidence from a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh

“…Moreover, though it is established that COVID-19 is spill over infection and not a human made (laboratory generated) output [35][36][37], however, another common misconception is that this virus is human created biological weapons for international politics [38]. Similar findings were reported across the world, including America [9,39], Saudi Arabia [31] Nigeria [33,40], Nepal [7], Ghana [41], Uganda [42] and Pakistan [43].…”

Knowledge and perceptions on COVID-19 among Senior High School students in Ghana: a cross-sectional study

“…These findings aligned well with what Saba et al reported in their study in northern Ghana where participants perceived that the pandemic was sent by God to punish mankind for their sins. 30 These findings highlights the need to intensify education in the northern part of Ghana about the diseases.…”

“…This argument is supported by findings from one study conducted in northern Ghana, suggesting that radio and television were the commonest channel through which most people accessed information about COVID-19. 30 Elsewhere in Pakistan, Mubeen reported that most young adults accessed information about the virus from TV, radio and social media. 31 In terms of what the students perceived about the COVID-19 crisis, majority of the students in our study had a positive perception about COVID-19 transmission and the measures in place to combat it.…”

“…In contrast increase access of information from electronic and social media could be largely attributed to the availability of numerous radio and TV stations and channels as well as the wide coverage of these stations. 30 Arguably, this has made access to different types of information among the general public easier. This argument is supported by findings from one study conducted in northern Ghana, suggesting that radio and television were the commonest channel through which most people accessed information about COVID-19.…”