KNOWLEDGE, RISK PERCEPTION AND PREVENTIVE PRACTICES OF COVID-19 AMONG STAFF OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Occupational Health in Educational Settings

Background:

• Kaduna State faces a high burden of COVID-19 cases, necessitating robust infection control in educational institutions.
• Assessing staff knowledge, risk perception, and practices is vital for managing COVID-19 transmission as schools prepare to reopen.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the knowledge, risk perception, and preventive practices of school staff regarding COVID-19.
• To inform policy and management strategies for epidemic control in schools.

Main Methods:

• A school-based survey was conducted in 55 schools across nine high-incidence Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kaduna State.
• Purposive sampling targeted schools with the highest enrollment; all staff members were interviewed.
• Data on knowledge, risk perception, and practices were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Main Results:

• 1065 staff participated; major information sources included television (73%), radio (61%), and social media (57%).
• Adequate knowledge of COVID-19 causes was 70%, but only 14% attended a COVID-19 workshop.
• High belief in mask efficacy (82%) and handwashing (89%) was observed, with 99% using masks and 90% using hand sanitizer; however, 42-73% of schools lacked essential preventive supplies.

Conclusions:

• School staff exhibit positive risk perception and high COVID-19 preventive practices, though knowledge requires improvement.
• Sustained preventive measures necessitate enhanced staff education and consistent provision of essential preventive commodities by the government.