Practice of COVID-19 prevention measures and their associated factors in Ethiopia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20372/ejphn.V7i2.248Keywords:
COVID-19, practice, preventive measuresAbstract
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant global health concern. Community-level prevention measures are essential for controlling the transmission of the virus. This study aimed to evaluate the practice of COVID-19 prevention measures and identify associated factors in Ethiopia.
Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to January 2021. A total of 8,096 households were sampled from 368 enumeration areas across all regions and two city administrations. The head of the household or a substitute was interviewed. Data were collected using the Computer-Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) technique. Eight questions were used to assess the level of practice, with scores of 0 and 1 assigned to each response. Scores below the mean were categorized as poor practice, while scores at or above the mean were classified as good practice. Logistic regression was employed to identify factors influencing the practice of COVID-19 prevention measures.
Results: The practice of COVID-19 preventive measures was found to be 30.6%. Significant associations were observed with urban residency (AOR=1.4; 95% CI 1.2-1.6), age over 45 years (AOR=1.29; 95% CI 1.1-1.6), access to radio, television, or the internet (AOR=1.5; 95% CI 1.2-1.7), having a college diploma or higher (AOR=1.5; 95% CI 1.2-1.9), non-governmental employment (AOR=1.8; 95% CI 1.3-2.7), and good knowledge of COVID-19 (AOR=4.15; 95% CI 3.7-4.6).
Conclusion: Approximately one-third of the population adhered to COVID-19 preventive measures. Positive associations were identified with older age, urban residency, access to communication channels, higher education, and knowledge of COVID-19. It is crucial for the government, stakeholders, and media to continue awareness efforts, especially in rural areas, to enhance preventive practices against COVID-19.
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