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Knowledge, attitude, and practice towards COVID-19 among chronic disease patients visiting public hospitals
Yonas Moges Legese1, Shifare Berhe Gebru2, Asqual Gebreslassie Gebremariam3
1Department of Health System, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Insights
This study found that less than two-thirds of chronically ill patients in Ethiopia had adequate knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding COVID-19 prevention. Enhanced public education is crucial for improving these outcomes among vulnerable populations.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic poses a significant threat, particularly to individuals with chronic diseases who are at higher risk of severe outcomes.
- Improving understanding, attitudes, and practices related to COVID-19 prevention is essential for controlling the pandemic, especially among vulnerable groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of chronically ill patients concerning COVID-19 prevention measures.
- To identify factors associated with KAP regarding COVID-19 among patients with chronic diseases in Ethiopia.
Main Methods:
- An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia, from April to June 2021.
- Data were collected from 319 systematically selected chronic disease patients using an interviewer-administered questionnaire.
- Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify associated factors, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Main Results:
- Overall, 51.1% of participants demonstrated good knowledge, 59.9% had a positive attitude, and 49.2% exhibited good practices towards COVID-19 prevention.
- Higher educational attainment was associated with better knowledge, while older age and being divorced or widowed were linked to lower knowledge.
- Positive attitudes were associated with being male and specific occupations (merchants, private employees, housewives). Good knowledge and positive attitudes significantly predicted good practices.
Conclusions:
- A substantial proportion of chronically ill patients in the study area had suboptimal knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding COVID-19.
- Targeted public health education initiatives by healthcare professionals are recommended to enhance COVID-19 awareness and prevention behaviors among patients with chronic conditions.
Background:
Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID 19) is a potentially severe acute respiratory infection first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. It is currently a global health issue and a public health emergency for the entire world, including Ethiopia. People with comorbidities of chronic disease are at higher risk for severe disease and death from this virus. Hence, in order to better control the COVID-19 pandemic, their understanding, attitude, and practice of COVID-19 prevention measures should be improved. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of chronically ill patients toward COVID-19 among chronic disease patients.
Methods:
An institutional-based cross-sectional study was employed among patients with chronic diseases visiting public hospitals in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia, from April to June 2021. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to retrieve data from systematically selected 319 chronic disease patients. The data were entered using EpiData version 4.4.2.1 and analyzed by SPSS version 23. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were done to identify factors associated with the outcome variables. Significance was determined at a p value of <0.05, and association was described by using an odds ratio at a 95% confidence interval.
Results:
A total of 319 patients with chronic diseases participated in this study, with a 100% response rate. Out of 319 study participants, 51.1% had good knowledge, 59.9% had a positive attitude, and about half (49.2%) had good practices toward the COVID-19 pandemic. Multivariate analysis revealed that study participants completed secondary school (AOR = 4.691, 95%CI = 1.846-11.918), had college or higher educational levels (AOR = 4.626, 95%CI = 1.790-11.955) were positively associated with good knowledge towards COVID 19 where as those who aged 50 and up (AOR = 0.415, 95%CI = 0.227-0.759), divorced (AOR = 0.298, 95%CI = 0.116-0.764), and widowed (AOR = 0.115, 95%CI = 0.025-0.528) were negatively associated with it. Positive attitude had a statistically significant association with sex, being male (AOR = 0.471, 95%CI = 0.265-0.837), and occupation, being merchants (AOR = 4.697, 95%CI = 1.174-18.795), private employees (AOR = 4.484, 95%CI = 1.182-17.008) and housewives (AOR = 5.292, 95%CI = 1.372-20.414). Moreover, good knowledge (AOR = 4.047,95%CI = 2.205-7.427) and a positive attitude (AOR = 5.756,95%CI = 3.244-10.211) were factors significantly associated with the good practices of study participants towards COVID-19.
Conclusion:
Less than two thirds of the study participants had good knowledge, attitudes, and practices overall about the COVID-19 pandemic. Health professionals and other responsible bodies should provide public education about COVID-19 and its prevention measures to chronic disease patients.
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