Risk perception of COVID-19 among sub-Sahara Africans: a web-based comparative survey of local and diaspora residents

BMC Public Health

Obinna Nwaeze¹  Chundung Asabe Miner²  Tanko Ishaya³  Emmanuel Kwasi Abu⁴  Timothy G. Chikasirimobi⁵  Piwuna Christopher Goson⁶  Khathutshelo Percy Mashige⁷  Godwin O. Ovenseri-Ogbomo⁸  Bernadine N. Ekpenyong⁹  Kingsley Emwinyore Agho^1,10  Dipesh Bhattarai^1,11  Raymond Langsi^1,12  Richard Oloruntoba^1,13  Deborah Donald Charwe^1,14  Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu^1,15 

[1] County Durham and Darlington National Health Service (NHS) Foundation, DL3 0PD, Darlington, UK;Department of Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria;Department of Computer Science, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria;Department of Optometry and Vision Science, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, 00233, Cape Coast, Ghana;Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, School of Public Health, Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, 50100, Kakamega, Kenya;Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria;Discipline of Optometry, School of Health Sciences, African Vision Research Institute (AVRI), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, 3629, Durban, South Africa;Discipline of Optometry, School of Health Sciences, African Vision Research Institute (AVRI), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, 3629, Durban, South Africa;Department of Optometry, Center for Health Sciences, University of Highlands and Islands, IV2 3JH, Old Perth Road, Scotland;Department of Optometry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria;Discipline of Optometry, School of Health Sciences, African Vision Research Institute (AVRI), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, 3629, Durban, South Africa;Department of Public Health, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria;Discipline of Optometry, School of Health Sciences, African Vision Research Institute (AVRI), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, 3629, Durban, South Africa;School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, 2560, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia;Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia;Health Division, University of Bamenda Bambili, Bamenda, Cameroon;School of Management and Marketing, Faculty of Business and Law, Curtin University, 6151, Bentley, WA, Australia;Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center, P. O. Box 977, Dar-es Salaam, Tanzania;Translational Health Research Institute (THRI), School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, 2560, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia;Discipline of Optometry, School of Health Sciences, African Vision Research Institute (AVRI), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, 3629, Durban, South Africa;

关键词: Africa;    Pandemic;    Diaspora;    Lockdown;    Risk perception;    Sub-Sahara Africa;    Knowledge;    COVID-19;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-021-11600-3

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundPerceived risk towards the coronavirus pandemic is key to improved compliance with public health measures to reduce the infection rates. This study investigated how Sub-Saharan Africans (SSA) living in their respective countries and those in the diaspora perceive their risk of getting infected by the COVID-19 virus as well as the associated factors.MethodsA web-based cross-sectional survey on 1969 participants aged 18 years and above (55.1% male) was conducted between April 27th and May 17th 2020, corresponding to the mandatory lockdown in most SSA countries. The dependent variable was the perception of risk for contracting COVID-19 scores. Independent variables included demographic characteristics, and COVID-19 related knowledge and attitude scores. Univariate and multiple linear regression analyses identified the factors associated with risk perception towards COVID-19.ResultsAmong the respondents, majority were living in SSA (n = 1855, 92.8%) and 143 (7.2%) in the diaspora. There was no significant difference in the mean risk perception scores between the two groups (p = 0.117), however, those aged 18–28 years had lower risk perception scores (p = 0.003) than the older respondents, while those who were employed (p = 0.040) and had higher levels of education (p < 0.001) had significantly higher risk perception scores than other respondents. After adjusting for covariates, multivariable analyses revealed that SSA residents aged 39–48 years (adjusted coefficient, β = 0.06, 95% CI [0.01, 1.19]) and health care sector workers (β = 0.61, 95% CI [0.09, 1.14]) reported a higher perceived risk of COVID-19. Knowledge and attitude scores increased as perceived risk for COVID-19 increased for both SSAs in Africa (β = 1.19, 95% CI [1.05, 1.34] for knowledge; β = 0.63, 95% CI [0.58, 0.69] for attitude) and in Diaspora (β = 1.97, 95% CI [1.16, 2.41] for knowledge; β = 0.30, 95% CI [0.02, 0.58] for attitude).ConclusionsThere is a need to promote preventive measures focusing on increasing people’s knowledge about COVID-19 and encouraging positive attitudes towards the mitigation measures such as vaccines and education. Such interventions should target the younger population, less educated and non-healthcare workers.

【 授权许可】

CC BY