Community Level of COVID-19 Information Exposure and Influencing Factors in Northwest Ethiopia

Animut Tagele Tamiru; Bayew Kelkay Rade; Eden Bishaw Taye; Zelalem Nigussie Azene; Mehari Woldemariam Merid; Atalay Goshu Muluneh; Getahun Molla Kassa; Melaku Kindie Yenit; Asefa Adimasu Taddese; Kassahum Alemu Gelaye; Demiss Mulatu Geberu; Sewbesew Yitayih Tilahun; Habtamu Sewunet Mekonnen; Abere Woretaw Azagew; Chalachew Adugna Webneh; Getaneh Mulualem Belay; Nega Tezera Assimamaw; Chilot Desta Agegnehu; Telake Azale; Zewudu Andualem; Henok Dagne; Kiros Terefe Gashaye; Gebisa Guyasa Kabito; Tesfaye Hambisa Mekonnen; Sintayehu Daba; Jember Azanaw; Tsegaye Adane; Mekuriaw Alemayehu

doi:10.2147/RMHP.S280346

Community Level of COVID-19 Information Exposure and Influencing Factors in Northwest Ethiopia

Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2020 Nov 17:13:2635-2644. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S280346. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Animut Tagele Tamiru¹, Bayew Kelkay Rade¹, Eden Bishaw Taye², Zelalem Nigussie Azene³, Mehari Woldemariam Merid⁴, Atalay Goshu Muluneh⁴, Getahun Molla Kassa⁴, Melaku Kindie Yenit⁴, Asefa Adimasu Taddese⁴, Kassahum Alemu Gelaye⁴, Demiss Mulatu Geberu⁵, Sewbesew Yitayih Tilahun⁶, Habtamu Sewunet Mekonnen⁷, Abere Woretaw Azagew⁷, Chalachew Adugna Webneh⁸, Getaneh Mulualem Belay⁸, Nega Tezera Assimamaw⁸, Chilot Desta Agegnehu⁹, Telake Azale¹⁰, Zewudu Andualem¹¹, Henok Dagne¹¹, Kiros Terefe Gashaye¹², Gebisa Guyasa Kabito¹¹, Tesfaye Hambisa Mekonnen¹¹, Sintayehu Daba¹¹, Jember Azanaw¹¹, Tsegaye Adane¹¹, Mekuriaw Alemayehu¹¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of General Midwifery, School of Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
² Department of Clinical Midwifery, School of Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
³ Department of Women's and Family Health, School of Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
⁵ Department of Health Systems and Policy, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
⁷ Department of Medical Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
⁸ Department of Pediatric and Child Health Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
⁹ School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
¹⁰ Department of Health Education and Behavioral Sciences, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
¹¹ Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
¹² Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging respiratory infection, and the crisis has become a worldwide issue, and society has become concerned in various aspects. Good information exposure related to transmission, prevention, and risk factors of COVID-19 can be the best means to reduce the risk of disease exposure and mitigate further spread. The countries that have well practiced this strategy (society information exposure) were controlling disease progression, but there is a low practice in sub-Saharan countries, including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the information exposure level about COVID-19 and influencing factors among northwest community of Ethiopia.

Methods and materials: Community-based cross-sectional study design was employed among the community of Gondar city from April 20 to 27, 2020. A total of 623 study participants were involved in this interview, and a systematic sampling technique was applied to select the households. Data were entered into EpiData version 4.6 and then exported to STATA version 14 for analysis. A multivariable binary logistic regression was employed to identify factors associated with good information exposure about COVID-19. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated to show the strength of association. A p-value <0.05 was a cut-off point to declare statistical significance.

Results: The overall rate of information exposure about COVID-19 was 44.9%. Age 18-26 years [AOR=0.53; 95% CI (0.28-0.99)] and 34-45 years [AOR=0.44; 95% CI (0.24-0.80)], elementary school [AOR=2.48; 95% CI (1.20-5.15)], secondary school [AOR=3.98; 95% CI (1.99-7.99)], college and above [AOR=8.38; 95% CI (4.10-17.26)], browsed or follow social media [AOR=2.21; 95% CI (1.44-3.38)] and those having a discussion with their family members [AOR=2.37; 95% CI (1.44-3.90)] and friends [AOR=2.15; 95% CI (1.38-3.34)] were the factors significantly associated with good information exposure towards COVID-19.

Conclusion: Communities total level of good information exposure from different information platforms about COVID-19 in this study area remains low. Age, high level of education, browsing social media, and those having interpersonal (family and friends) discussion were the factors that significantly influence communities who have good information exposure related to COVID-19. Therefore, efforts on community mobilization through regional/national mass media and other information conveying platforms are recommended.

Keywords: COVID-19; Northwest Ethiopia; information exposure.

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the University of Gondar. However, the funder had no role in the study design, analysis, interpretation, writing, or decision to publish this manuscript.