Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of COVID-19: A Case Study of Navakholo Sub-County, Kakamega, Kenya
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Date
2024-02
Authors
Wanzala, Maximilla
Omukunda, Elizabeth
Wanjala, Stella
Oloo, Micky Olutende
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Scientific Research Publishing
Abstract
A viral illness called COVID-19 can be spread from one person to another.
2019 saw the first case of the virus reported in Wuhan, China, while 2020 saw
Kenya record the first COVID-19 infection in Sub-Saharan Africa. To stop
the virus from spreading, it is crucial to have the proper information, attitudes, and behaviors. There has been increased research on the impact
COVID-19 had on the normal lives of people, however, studies of this effect
on rural communities are scarce. Hence, the study was conducted to assess
the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice, among residents of Navakholo
sub-county, Kakamega, Kenya towards COVID-19. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study and Quantitative methods were adopted. The study
was carried out in Kakamega County in Kenya. The respondents were community-dwelling household members 18 years and above (n = 278). Data was
analyzed through descriptive statistics, chi-square test of independence, and
independent t-test which was used to check differences in knowledge and attitude between groups. Findings were considered significant at p < 0.05. The
main outcome measures included knowledge, attitudes, and practices. From
the analysis, 47% had a high level of knowledge of COVID-19. Almost
three-quarters 74.2% reported that COVID-19 is transmitted through droplets from sneezing or coughing followed by through air 70.2%. Regarding
who is at risk of contracting COVID-19, the elderly were reported by the majority to be at risk from COVID-19 94.4% followed by those with other underlying conditions 59.5%. The overall attitude was positive (65.6%). The
majority of the respondents 82.5% were willing to do a voluntary COVID-19
test and 94.8% reported that COVID-19 is preventable with 65% reporting
that it can be treated at home. Over three quarters 79.5% reported that they have confidence that we can win the battle against the COVID-19 virus. With
regards to practices, the majority of the respondents 89% reported that it is
crucial to report a suspected case to health authorities, go for testing if they
have fever and dry cough (79%), worn a mask when leaving home in recent
days (99%) and avoided going to any crowded place including religious
events in recent days (80%). An Independent t-test was conducted to establish whether mean age varied significantly by level of knowledge on
COVID-19. Results indicated that there was a significant difference in mean
age by level of knowledge on COVID-19 (F = 13.19, p < 0.001). A significant
relationship was observed between religion, education level, marital status,
employment status, and level of knowledge of COVID-19. Results indicated
that there was no significant relationship between demographic characteristics and attitude toward COVID-19 (all p > 0.05). In conclusion, the overall
computation revealed that generally majority of the respondents had high
knowledge of COVID-19. The majority of the respondents showed positive
attitudes and had good practices. The study recommends that the government should collaborate with telecom operators to disseminate COVID-19
messages promptly to their subscribers. Social media companies should enhance their fact-checking operations while search engines should limit information about COVID-19 from unverified websites.
Description
Article
Keywords
COVID-19, Kenya, Kakamega, Sub-Sahara Africa, Pandemic, Misconceptions, Outbreak, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice
Citation
Wanzala, M., Omukunda, E., Wanjala, S., & Oloo, M. O. (2024). Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of COVID-19: A Case Study of Navakholo Sub-County, Kakamega, Kenya. Open Access Library Journal, 11(2), 1-22.