Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19: A cross-sectional study in the resident cape-verdean population

Maria de Fátima Carvalho Alves; Maria da Luz Lima Mendonça; Janice de Jesus Xavier Soares; Silvânia Da Veiga Leal; Menilita Dos Santos; Júlio Monteiro Rodrigues; Edna Duarte Lopes

doi:10.1016/j.ssaho.2021.100184

Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19: A cross-sectional study in the resident cape-verdean population

Soc Sci Humanit Open. 2021;4(1):100184. doi: 10.1016/j.ssaho.2021.100184. Epub 2021 Jul 10.

Authors

Maria de Fátima Carvalho Alves¹, Maria da Luz Lima Mendonça¹, Janice de Jesus Xavier Soares², Silvânia Da Veiga Leal³, Menilita Dos Santos⁴, Júlio Monteiro Rodrigues⁵, Edna Duarte Lopes¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Research, Science and Training of the National Institute of Public Health, Largo do Desastre da Assistência, Chã de Areia, P.O BOX 719, Praia, Cape Verde.
² National Health Observatory of the National Institute of Public Health, Largo do Desastre da Assistência, Chã de Areia, P.O BOX 719, Praia, Cape Verde.
³ Laboratory of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Public Health, Largo do Desastre da Assistência, Chã de Areia, P.O BOX 719, Praia, Cape Verde.
⁴ Virology Laboratory of the National Institute of Public Health, Largo do Desastre da Assistência, Chã de Areia, P.O BOX 719, Praia, Cape Verde.
⁵ Department of Health Promotion of the National Institute of Public Health, Largo do Desastre da Assistência, Chã de Areia, P.O BOX 719, Praia, Cape Verde.

Abstract

Context: The first case of COVID-19 in Cabo Verde was confirmed on March 19, 2020. Since the beginning of the pandemic in the country, the government and health authorities have adopted restrictive measures to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV- 2 and well as defined risk communication and community involvement strategies. The present study aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the Cape Verdean resident population towards COVID-19, to support the government and the national health system in the definition of public health policies related to COVID-19.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1996 participants aged 16 years old and above. Data collected from April 5 to April 12, 2020, via an online self-reporting questionnaire adapted from a Chinese study. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, simple and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to determine factors associated with knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards COVID-19.

Results: The overall correct answer rate related to the knowledge about COVID-19 was 82% (9/11 * 100), 1970 (98.70%) of the participants declared they had stayed at home in recent days, 1926 (96.49%) had not attended parties, funerals or crowded places and 1860 (93.19%) confirmed changes in daily routines due to COVID-19. The majority of the participants, 1797 (90.26%), preferred receiving information about COVID-19 in Portuguese and trusted information transmitted by health professionals. Furthermore, television, radio, and newspapers were the preferred means of transmitting information about COVID-19. Participants' knowledge influenced COVID-19 prevention and control practices (rho = 0.119; p = 0.000).

Conclusions: These findings showed that the resident population had a good level of knowledge about COVID-19; however, there is a need to use more effective strategies to improve attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 to attain better results in controlling the pandemic in Cabo Verde.

Keywords: Attitudes; COVID-19; Cabo Verde; Knowledge; Practices.