Knowledge, attitude and adherence to COVID-19 prevention among community health workers in Nigeria

community health workers play important roles in curtailing the spread of COVID-19. This study therefore investigated the knowledge, attitude and adherence to practice of COVID-19 prevention-protocols among community health workers in selected States of Nigeria.

purposive sampling method was adopted. A cohort of community health workers testing and enrolling human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive-clients into care were involved in the study. Questionnaire on Microsoft forms was completed by 366 participants. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods.

key findings revealed that 87.80% have good knowledge of COVID-19; 96.10% positive attitude towards COVID-19 prevention-protocols and 97.20% adhere to the protocols. Demographics variables have significant positive effect on adherence to COVID-19 prevention-protocol among the respondents as follows: marital status (X²: 21.91; p: <0.05), gender (X²: 9.01; p: 0.003), ethnic group (X²: 17.45; p: <0.05), State of residence (X²: 32.51; p: <0.05), education status (X²: 18.44; p: 0.005). Findings revealed there is no significant relationship between knowledge of COVID-19 and the anxiety status of community health workers (p=0.90). There is positive relationship between knowledge of COVID-19 and attitude to guidelines and adherence to COVID-19 prevention-protocols. R=0.20 (<0.05) and 0.195 (<0.05) respectively.

the high knowledge of COVID-19, positive attitude and adherence to the prevention-protocols among community health workers provides assurance of their ability to provide factual information to the community and their ability to promote good attitude and adherence to the prevention-protocols. Key sociodemographic variable like marital status, gender, ethnic groups, educational status and State of residents play significant roles in adherence to COVID-19 prevention-protocols.