COVID-19 pandemic: Nigerians’ knowledge, perception and adherence to preventive measures

Abstract

Aims: One of the ways to manage the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is monitoring of public knowledge, risk perceptions, adherence to preventive measures and preparedness behaviors. This is of utmost importance in resource limited countries. This study determined the knowledge and perception about COVID-19; adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures; as well as predictors of self-perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 among Nigerian adults.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Nigerian adults ≥ 18 years using an online survey. Participants were recruited using the authors’ social networks. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics at 5% level of statistical significance.Results: Generally, a high proportion of respondents had correct knowledge about COVID-19. However, only about half (49.8% and 49.9%) had correct knowledge that obesity was a risk factor for COVID-19 and that antibiotics cannot be used to treat COVID-19. Most (84.1%) did not have a self-perceived risk of contracting COVID-19. Most (81.0%) have been avoiding crowded places and 61.3% washed their hands very often. Predictors of self-perceived risk of COVID-19 were age 40-59 years (OR 2.05, CI 1.217-3.435), ≥ 60 years (OR 4.68, CI 1.888-11.583) and visiting crowded places (OR 2.27, CI 1.499-3.448).Conclusion: Our study recommends more rigorous public health education aimed at improving COVID-19 outbreak response in Nigerian. Also, physical and social distancing should be emphasized across all age groups with additional focus on the older population.

Level of Practice of Safety Precautions against COVID 19 among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal clinics in Central Hospital Benin, Benin City in Nigeria

“…This is disheartening because it becomes very difficult to maintain social distance in crowded places, thus spreading the disease in such places cannot be avoided completely. This is similar to a previous Nigerian study (Oyeyemi et al, 2020). Although the federal government made restrictions against crowding, many residents come out en masse to fend for their daily bread or to do banking transactions in order to procure food supplies.…”

Hand Hygiene: major panacea for prevention of the spread of Covid-19 in a Nigerian south-western university

“…This result is in tandem with the findings conducted in the South Western part of Nigeria, where some of the respondents perceived COVID-19 as an exaggerated event that led to the poor practice of hand hygiene as a preventive strategy (23). Whereas, it contradicts a documented study that shows the elderly group has a higher chance of perceived risk of contracting Covid-19 when found in crowded areas (24).…”

COVID-19 pandemic: an assessment of the risk perception and practice of precautionary measures amongst a group of primary care workers in Nigeria

“…This is particularly interesting in the light of study findings that indicate that males have higher risk of severity and mortality from COVID-19 compared to females [ 26 ]. Younger age groups have been associated with lower risk perceptions compared to older age groups [ 26 , 27 ]. This is expected as the risk of infection, severity and mortality from COVID-19 increases with age [ 26 , 28 ].…”