Economic, Health and Physical Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic in Sub-Saharan African Regions: A Cross Sectional Survey

Khathutshelo Percy Mashige; Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu; Sekar Ulagnathan; Bernadine N Ekpenyong; Emmanuel Kwasi Abu; Piwuna Christopher Goson; Raymond Langsi; Obinna Nwaeze; Chikasirimobi G Timothy; Deborah Donald Charwe; Richard Oloruntoba; Chundung Asabe Miner; Tanko Ishaya; Godwin O Ovenseri-Ogbomo; Kingsley E Agho

doi:10.2147/RMHP.S324554

Economic, Health and Physical Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic in Sub-Saharan African Regions: A Cross Sectional Survey

Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2021 Nov 27:14:4799-4807. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S324554. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Khathutshelo Percy Mashige¹, Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu^{1

2}, Sekar Ulagnathan³, Bernadine N Ekpenyong^{1

4}, Emmanuel Kwasi Abu⁵, Piwuna Christopher Goson⁶, Raymond Langsi⁷, Obinna Nwaeze⁸, Chikasirimobi G Timothy⁹, Deborah Donald Charwe¹⁰, Richard Oloruntoba¹¹, Chundung Asabe Miner¹², Tanko Ishaya¹³, Godwin O Ovenseri-Ogbomo^{1

14}, Kingsley E Agho^{1

15}

Affiliations

¹ African Vision Research Institute (AVRI), School of Health Sciences, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, 3629, South Africa.
² Translational Health Research Institute (THRI), Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia.
³ Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁴ Department of Public Health, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
⁵ School of Allied Health Sciences, Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.
⁷ Health division, University of Bamenda, Bamenda, Cameroon.
⁸ County Durham and Darlington National Health Service (NHS) Foundation, Darlington, Durham, UK.
⁹ Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, School of Public Health, Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega, Kenya.
¹⁰ Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center, Dar-es Salaam, Tanzania.
¹¹ Supply Chain Management, Curtin Business School, School of Management and Marketing, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
¹² Department of Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
¹³ Department of Computer Science, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
¹⁴ Department of Optometry, Centre for Life Sciences, University of the Highlands and Islands, Inverness, IV2 3JH, UK.
¹⁵ School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Abstract

Purpose: The key preventive measures adopted to minimise the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) had significant health, economic and physical impacts mostly in developing countries. This study evaluated the health, economic and physical impacts of COVID-19 lockdown measures among sub-Saharan African (SSA) population and associated demographic variations.

Methods: A total of 1970 respondents took part in this web-based cross-sectional survey during the mandatory lockdown period in most SSA. The dependent variables were health (COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation), socioeconomic (lost job, closed down business) and physical impacts (separated from family) of COVID-19. Univariate and bivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore the factors associated with each of the dependent variables by the four sub-regions (Southern, Western, Central and East Africa).

Results: The respondents were aged 34.1 ± 11.5 years (range: 18-75 years) and mostly men (1099, 55%). 25.9% (n = 511) reported an impact of COVID-19 pandemic with significant regional variations (p < 0.0005, higher proportion were East 36.2% and Southern Africans 30.3%) but no gender (p = 0.334) and age group variations (p > 0.05). Among Central African respondents, more men than women lost their businesses (45.7% versus 14.3%, p = 0.002) and contracted COVID-19 infections (40.0% versus 18.2%, p = 0.024) during the study period. Multivariable analysis revealed that respondents from East (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.42-2.69), Southern (AOR 1.46, 95% CI: 1.09-1.96) and Central Africa (AOR 1.47, 95% CI: 1.06-2.03) reported significantly higher impact of COVID-19. Those who reported family separation during the lockdown were more likely to be older participants (39-48 years, AOR 2.48, 95% CI: 1.11-5.57).

Conclusion: One in four SSA respondents, mostly East and Southern Africans, were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic during the lockdown. Interventions in high-risk populations are needed to reduce the health, socioeconomic and gender disparities in the impacts of COVID-19.

Keywords: Africa; coronavirus infection; family separation; hospitalisation; infections; job loss; lockdown.