Exploring knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 amongst the residents in South Africa: a quick online survey
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20210822Keywords:
COVID-19, KAP survey, South AfricaAbstract
Background: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has spread rapidly inviting unprecedented measures globally. Citizen’s adherence to jurisdiction is affected by their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards the disease.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey study among a convenient sample of the general public aged 18 years or more and resident in South Africa was conducted through a self-designed online KAP survey questionnaire during the first few weeks of the South African lockdown to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices about COVID-19. A p value of <0.05 (two tailed) was taken to be statistically significant.
Results: A total of 885 respondents completed the survey, majority of which were females who identified COVID-19 as a challenge to health and society and agreed with the strategy of lockdown for initial control of the spreading epidemic. In spite of the high knowledge scores of the population 31% of the respondents did not choose to wear a mask while leaving home. Also, a large number of respondents believed that early symptomatic treatment can prove useful to manage the infection. A statistically significant p value (<0.05) was obtained for the study variables in the statistical analysis, which showed that high knowledge scores were found to be associated with gender, categories of annual income and ethnicity.
Conclusions: This survey shows that South African residents of a relatively high level of socioeconomic status, in particular women, have substantial knowledge, positive attitudes, but need to improve practices towards COVID-19 during the rapid rise phase of the COVID-19 outbreak.
References
WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 3 March 2020 - World Health Organization, March 3, 2020.
Available at: https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/ detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---3-march-2020.
Munster VJ, Koopmans M, van Doremalen N, van Riel D, de Wit E. A Novel Coronavirus Emerging in China – Key Questions for Impact Assessment: N Engl J Med. 2020;382:692-4.
Patel A, Jernigan DB, 2019-nCoV CDC Response Team. Initial Public Health Response and Interim Clinical Guidance for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak - United States, December 31, 2019-February 4, 2020: Morbidity and mortality weekly report. 2020;69(5):140-6.
Zhong BL, Luo W, Li HM, Zhang QQ, Liu XG, Li WT, Li Y. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards COVID-19 among Chinese residents during the rapid rise period of the COVID-19 outbreak: a quick online cross-sectional survey: Int J Biol Sci. 2020;16(10):1745-52.
Lin Y, Huang L, Nie S. Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) related to the Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 among Chinese General Population: a Telephone Survey: BMC Infect Dis. 2011;11(128):1-9.
de Wit E, van Doremalen N, Falzarano D. SARS and MERS: recent insights into emerging coronaviruses: Nat Rev Microbiol. 2016;14:523–34.
Geldsetzer P. Knowledge and Perceptions of COVID-19 Among the General Public in the United States and the United Kingdom: A Cross-sectional Online Survey. Ann Intern Med. 2020;1-4.
Launiala, A. How much can a KAP survey tell us about people's knowledge, attitudes and practices? Some observations from medical anthropology research on malaria in pregnancy in Malawi: Anthropol Matters. 2009;11(1):1-13.
STROBE checklists, 2007. Aavailable at: https://www.strobe-statement.org/index.php?id=available-checklists. Accessed on 05 May 2020.
Carr AC, Rosengrave PC, Bayer S, Chambers S, Mehrtens J, Shaw GM. Hypovitaminosis C and vitamin C deficiency in critically ill patients despite recommended enteral and parenteral intakes. Crit Care. 2017;21(1):300.
Carr AC. A new clinical trial to test high-dose vitamin C in patients with COVID-19. Crit Care. 2020;24(1):133.
Valeri A. Symptomatic COVID-19 positive and likely patients treated by homeopathic physicians - an Italian descriptive study. Research gate. 2020. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/340631586_Symptomatic_COVID-19_positive_and_likely_patients_treated_by_homeopathic_physicians_-_an_Italian_descriptive_study.
Zhong BL, Chen SL, Tu X, Conwell Y. Loneliness and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: Findings from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. J Gerontol. 2017;72(1):120–8.
WORLDOMETER, 2020.
Available at: https://www.worldometers.info/ coronavirus/country/south-africa/. Accessed 03 May 2020.
