Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Toward Corona virus Infection Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care at Public Hospitals in Three Wollega Zones, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy is an immune-suppressed state which makes pregnant women generally more susceptible to COVID-19 infection and severe illness. Extensive precautions have been recommended to avoid exposure to the virus. Knowledge and attitude toward the disease play an integral role in readiness to accept public health measures. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice towards COVID-19 among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in three Wollega zones, Ethiopia. Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study was employed among 415 pregnant women attending antenatal care at public hospitals in three Wollega zones, Ethiopia from July to August 2020. The data were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. The level of knowledge was assessed using 12 multiple choice questions; the score of above or equal to mean was considered as adequate knowledge. Binary logistic regression was performed and the adjusted odds ratio with P-value ≤0.05 at 95% CI was taken as statistically significant.Results: This study indicates that more than two-thirds (75.4%; 95% CI: 71.1-79.3%) and 43.6% of the pregnant women had adequate knowledge and good practice about the coronavirus pandemic, respectively. The pregnant women who attended secondary school and above and were urban residents were more likely to have good knowledge, AOR = 2.99 (1.7-5.0) and 1.6 (1.2-2.7), respectively. Maternal age ≤ 25 yearsand being an urban resident were the two predictors of good practice of preventive measures, AOR = 1.7 (1.2-2.6) and 2.3 (1.3-4.0), respectively. Conclusions and Recommendations:The target population demonstrated acceptable knowledge and poor practice toward COVID-19. Health-care providers should give more attention to educating pregnant women at any point of contact; legal enforcement should be implemented to improve practice of preventive measures. Special consideration should be given to those who are from rural areas, and to less-educated pregnant women.

Compliance with COVID-19 Preventive Measures and Associated Factors Among Women Attending Antenatal Care at Public Health Facilities of Debre Berhan Town, Ethiopia

“…On the contrary, the findings from previous studies done in Wollega Zone (43.6%), 42 Debre Tabor (47.6%), 43 Ghana (46.6%), 44 and low-resource African settings (30.3%) 33 which were lower than our finding. The possible discrepancy might be the difference in the study setting, socio-demographic characteristics, and study participants.…”

Adherence to COVID-19 preventive practice and associated factors among pregnant women in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia, 2021: Community-based cross-sectional study

“…The study result showed that only 44.8% (95% CI: 41.3, 48.7) of the study participants had good adherence with COVID-19 preventive practice. These results are comparable with studies conducted in Ghana 46.6% [ 32 ], Egypt 42.86% [ 34 ], Wollega zone, Ethiopia 43.6% [ 33 ], and Debre Tabor, Ethiopia 47.6% [ 29 ].…”

“…Study participants whose age ≤24 years were 2.89 times more likely to have good adherence with COVID -19 preventive practice as compared to participants whose age was≥35 years. This finding was supported by a study conducted in Nigeria [ 35 ] and studies in different parts of Ethiopia, Wollega zones, [ 33 ], Gurage zone, [ 31 ]. This might be due to younger women having access to information on COVID-19 (risk, mode of transmission, and way of preventive measures) via social media and mass media.…”

“…In addition, 39.1% of study participants in Ebonyi, state were rural dwellers while this study was conducted on urban residents. It has been evidenced that pregnant women living in urban areas were highly likely to practice preventive measures [ 32 , 33 ].…”

“…The data collection tool was developed by reviewing related literature [ 29 , 31 – 33 ]. Data were collected using semi-structured, pretested questionnaires through a face-to-face interview.…”