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

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a public health emergency affecting the lives of millions of people globally. Different measures and extraordinary steps are being taken to contain the transmission of the virus. The levels of knowledge and implementation of preventive practices related to COVID-19 in sub-Saharan African countries are unclear. Additionally, there is a lack of evidence regarding the impacts of the pandemic on mental health. This study aimed to describe knowledge and practices related to COVID-19 and to assess mental health status among adults in three sub-Saharan African countries: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. A total of 1,797 adults were included in the survey, and data were collected using computer-assisted telephone interviews. The proportions of adults who identified more than 80% of COVID-19 symptoms, transmission methods, and prevention mechanisms were 69.9%, 79.2%, and 90.7%, respectively. The practice of preventive measures was relatively lower for avoiding social gatherings and disinfecting contaminated surfaces. Better education, urban residence, and believing the pandemic is real were factors associated with good knowledge on COVID-19 symptoms, transmission methods, and preventive actions. Additionally, being male was associated with good knowledge on symptoms and transmission methods, whereas being in an older age group was associated with knowledge of transmission methods. Mild, moderate, and severe psychological distress was reported by 20.6%, 5.9%, and 1.1% of the participants, respectively. Although this study found high levels of knowledge regarding COVID-19, interventions are needed to increase the uptake of recommended preventive practices among adults in sub-Saharan Africa.

Adherence with COVID-19 Preventive Measures and Associated Factors Among Residents of Shashemane, Central Ethiopia

“…This magnitude of good practice of Covid preventive measures was lower than studies conducted in Diredawa (40.7% (18), Gonder (51%) (22), and south Ethiopia 20% (23) and higher than a study conducted at Dirashe district (12.3%) (24). When we compare it with other African countries it is much lower than cross-sectional studies conducted in Nigeria 41.6% (25), Cameron (60.8%) (26), Burkina Faso ( 39%) (27), and A nationwide cross-sectional Survey at Ugandan( 85.3%) (28). The difference could be attributed to the period the studies were conducted, the type of study participants, and the different levels of awareness creation and other interventions done at the study areas.…”

Levels of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress among Ugandan adults during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: cross-sectional evidence from a mobile phone-based population survey

“…These estimates are near the upper end of the range of results from a global systematic review of the effects of COVID-19 on psychological outcomes, where the prevalence of anxiety ranged from 6% to 51% and depression ranged from 15% to 48% across eight countries, though the majority of countries included in the review were upper-middle or high income (Xiong et al, 2020). Our estimates are also on the high end of estimates from the few studies conducted in low-income countries, where the prevalence of depression or mental health symptoms ranged from 7% to 52% (Cénat et al, 2021;Langsi et al, 2021;Mamun et al, 2021;Workneh et al, 2021;Logie et al, 2022).…”

Global monitoring of public interest in preventive measures against COVID-19 via analysis of Google Trends: an infodemiology and infoveillance study

“…Some studies also mentioned the issues of attitude toward knowledge and healthy practices, including COVID-19 preventive practices in African countries. [38][39][40] The low-level interest in preventive measures in African countries needs to be considered in future strategies for expanding preventive measures against infectious diseases at the global level. As the pandemic is still unfolding, there is a strong need to continually implement health promotion measures to better prevent the pandemic and improve related-health behaviours in African populations and countries with low impact of public interest on preventable measures.…”