Adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures among residents in selected townships, Yangon Region, Myanmar: a community-based cross-sectional study

Ye Minn Htun; Nyan Lin Maung; Dwe Kyaw Ko; Han Myo Htut; Min Khant Phyo; Wai Lynn Aung; Hein Khant Zaw; Aung Kyaw Min; Aung Phyo Kyaw; Thet Swe; Kaung Khant Zaw; Kyaw Swar Naing Win; Khant Ko Ko; Khant Min Thaw; Saw Pyae Aung; Saw Yan Aung; Soe San Htun; Soe Htet Paing; Soe Lin Htun; Zaw Myo Naing; Zin Ko Htun; Htoo Naung; Htun Htun Oo; Naing Ye Hla; Aung Kyaw San; Hpone Myint Myat; Phone Shan Htet; Min Khant Mon; Ye Myat Paing; Wai Lin Phyo; Win Khant Paing; Thu Rein; Thit Lwin Oo; Thet Paing Zaw; Thet Lynn Oo; Thint Myat Thu; Than Toe Aung; Hein Htet Soe; Aung Kyaw Soe; Aung Myint Oo; Aung Aung; Pyae Phyo Aung; Htun Aung Kyaw; Hpone Pji Kyaw; Yan Naing Myint Soe; Myint Myat Ko; Zin Ko Aung; Kyaw Thiha Aung; Yan Paing Chit Lwin; Wai Yan; Phyo Tayza Soe; Zin Linn Htet; Nay Hein Sint; Zayar Aung; Zin Thu Winn; Kaung Si Thu; Nyan Htet Shan; Nyan Sint Htun; Tun Tun Win; Kyaw Myo Tun

doi:10.1186/s41182-024-00603-6

Adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures among residents in selected townships, Yangon Region, Myanmar: a community-based cross-sectional study

Trop Med Health. 2024 May 11;52(1):36. doi: 10.1186/s41182-024-00603-6.

Authors

Ye Minn Htun¹, Nyan Lin Maung², Dwe Kyaw Ko³, Han Myo Htut³, Min Khant Phyo³, Wai Lynn Aung³, Hein Khant Zaw³, Aung Kyaw Min³, Aung Phyo Kyaw³, Thet Swe³, Kaung Khant Zaw³, Kyaw Swar Naing Win³, Khant Ko Ko³, Khant Min Thaw³, Saw Pyae Aung³, Saw Yan Aung³, Soe San Htun³, Soe Htet Paing³, Soe Lin Htun³, Zaw Myo Naing³, Zin Ko Htun³, Htoo Naung³, Htun Htun Oo³, Naing Ye Hla³, Aung Kyaw San³, Hpone Myint Myat³, Phone Shan Htet³, Min Khant Mon³, Ye Myat Paing³, Wai Lin Phyo³, Win Khant Paing³, Thu Rein³, Thit Lwin Oo³, Thet Paing Zaw³, Thet Lynn Oo³, Thint Myat Thu³, Than Toe Aung³, Hein Htet Soe³, Aung Kyaw Soe³, Aung Myint Oo³, Aung Aung³, Pyae Phyo Aung³, Htun Aung Kyaw³, Hpone Pji Kyaw³, Yan Naing Myint Soe⁴, Myint Myat Ko³, Zin Ko Aung³, Kyaw Thiha Aung⁴, Yan Paing Chit Lwin³, Wai Yan³, Phyo Tayza Soe³, Zin Linn Htet⁴, Nay Hein Sint³, Zayar Aung⁴, Zin Thu Winn⁴, Kaung Si Thu⁴, Nyan Htet Shan⁵, Nyan Sint Htun³, Tun Tun Win³, Kyaw Myo Tun³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Prevention and Research Development of Hepatitis, AIDS and Other Viral Diseases, Health and Disease Control Unit, Nay Pyi Taw, 15011, Myanmar. dryeminnhtun85@gmail.com.
² Department of Research and Development, Defence Services Medical School, Yangon, Myanmar.
³ Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar.
⁴ Department of Prevention and Research Development of Hepatitis, AIDS and Other Viral Diseases, Health and Disease Control Unit, Nay Pyi Taw, 15011, Myanmar.
⁵ Outpatient Department, No. 1 Military Hospital (500 Bedded), Meiktila, Mandalay, Myanmar.

Abstract

Background: To fight the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, many countries have implemented various mitigation measures to contain the spread of the disease. By engaging with health service providers, the community's participation in adherence to preventive measures is certainly required in the implementation of COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the level of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures and its associated factors among the residents, Yangon Region, Myanmar.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 636 residents in Yangon Region, Myanmar, from October to December 2021. A multistage non-probability sampling method, purposively selected for three townships in Yangon Region and convenience sampling for 212 participants from each township, was applied and the data were collected by face-to-face interviews using structured and pretested questionnaires. Data were entered, coded, and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Simple and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the significant variables of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures.

Results: As a level of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures, the proportion of residents who had good adherence was 39.3% (95% CI 35.5-43.2%), moderate adherence was 37.6% (95% CI 33.8-41.5%), and poor adherence was 23.1% (95% CI 19.9-26.6%). The age group of 31-40 years (AOR: 3.13, 95% CI 1.62-6.05), 30 years and younger (AOR: 3.22, 95% CI 1.75-5.92), Burmese ethnicity (AOR: 2.52, 95% CI 1.44-4.39), own business (AOR: 3.19, 95% CI 1.15-8.87), high school education level and below (AOR: 1.64, 95% CI 1.02-2.69), less than 280.90 USD of monthly family income (AOR: 1.51, 95% CI 1.01-2.29), low knowledge about COVID-19 (AOR: 1.90, 95% CI 1.26-2.88) were significantly associated with poor adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures.

Conclusions: In this study, nearly one-fourth of the residents were experiencing poor adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. Therefore, building up the risk communication through the community using widely used mainstream media, the continuation of disease surveillance and announcement of updated information or advice for the public to increase awareness towards COVID-19, and enforcement to follow the recommended directions and regulations of health institutions are vital to consider for improving the adherence to preventive measures against COVID-19 among the residents.

Keywords: Adherence; COVID-19; Myanmar; Pandemic; Preventive measures; Residents.