Knowledge of people in the East London District of South Africa about Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2: an online survey
Main Article Content
Abstract
Introduction: World Health Organization declared Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic after two months of its propagation in China. The lack of coordination among people about the new Coronavirus threat is evident mainly due to the dearth of knowledge. Objective: To assess the knowledge of people in the East London district of South Africa about Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Methods: The study was anchored on a quantitative method approach and adopted a descriptive research design. The sample consisted of 160 adults. Using the virtual snowball sampling technique, people who were 18 years and above of age and can read English were selected for the online survey. The data were collected using a 3-point Likert scale questionnaire which was uploaded in Google Form. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The majority of the participants knew the myths and facts about the news. They were aware that wearing a face mask prevents Coronavirus transmission, drinking liquor and using hand dryers would not kill the virus. Some people were not sure whether eating garlic or rinsing the nose regularly with saline water would help to prevent from being affected by Coronavirus. The findings also showed that there was a significant difference (p<0.05) among different age groups of people on their knowledge about the Coronavirus. Conclusion: By comparing the overall findings with the facts issued by World Health Organization, people in the East London district of South Africa had sound knowledge about Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 on its transmission and what preventive measures should be taken.
Downloads
Article Details
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) that allows others to share and adapt the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.References
Huang C, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Zhao J, Hu Y, et al. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet. 2020;395(10223):497-506. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5
Holshue ML, DeBolt C, Lindquist S, Lofy KH, Wiesman J, Bruce H, et al. First case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus in the United States. N Engl J Med. 2020;382:929-36. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2001191
World Health Organization (WHO). Pneumonia of Unknown Cause – China [Internet] 2020. Available from: https://www.who.int/csr/don/05-january-2020-pneumonia-of-unkown-cause-china/en/
World Health Organization (WHO). Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): situation report, 46 [Internet] 2020. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/331443
World Health Organization (WHO). Rolling updates on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) [Internet]. 2020. Available from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-they-happen
Ebrahim SH, Ahmed QA, Gozzer E, Schlagenhauf P, Memish ZA. Covid-19 and community mitigation strategies in a pandemic. BMJ. 2020;368:m1066. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1066
World Health Organization (WHO). COVID-19 cases top 10 000 in Africa [Internet] 2020. Available from: https://www.afro.who.int/news/covid-19-cases-top-10-000-africa
National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). First case of covid-19 coronavirus reported in SA [Internet] 2020. Available from: https://www.nicd.ac.za/first-case-of-covid-19-coronavirus-reported-in-sa/
Republic of South Africa. National lockdown regulations: Covid-19 [Internet] 2020. Available from: https://sacoronavirus.co.za/2020/03/26/national-lockdown-regulations/
Republic of South Africa. Update on Covid-19 (29th may 2020) [Internet]. Available from: https://sacoronavirus.co.za/2020/05/29/update-on-covid-19-29th-may-2020/
Islam S. Coronavirus: One month after the first patient was identified, where does Bangladesh stand? [Internet] 2020. Available from: https://www.bbc.com/bengali/news-52207223
Chirwa GC. “Who knows more, and why?” Explaining socioeconomic-related inequality in knowledge about HIV in Malawi. Sci African. 2020;7:e00213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2019.e00213
Chirwa GC, Sithole L, Jamu, E. Socio-economic Inequality in Comprehensive Knowledge about HIV in Malawi. Malawi Med J. 2019;31(2):104-11. https://doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v31i2.1
World Health Organization (WHO). WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 5 June 2020 [Internet] 2020. Available from: https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---5-june-2020
Manabe T, Tran TG, Doam ML, Van Do TH, Pham TPT, Dinh TTH, et al. Knowledge, attitudes, practices and emotional reactions among residents of avian influenza (h5n1) hit communities in Vietnam. PLoS One. 2012;7(10):e47560. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0047560
World Health Organization (WHO). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: Mythbusters [Internet] 2020. Available from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters
Nahar N, Paul RC, Sultana R, Gurley ES, Garcia F, Abedin J, et al. Raw Sap Consumption Habits and Its Association with Knowledge of Nipah Virus in Two Endemic Districts in Bangladesh. PLoS One. 2015;10(11):e0142292. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0142292
Aghababaeian H, Ahvazi LA, Ostadtaghizadeh A. The Methanol Poisoning Outbreaks in Iran 2018. Alcohol Alcohol. 2019;54(2):128-30. https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agz005
Trew B. Coronavirus: Hundreds dead in Iran from drinking methanol amid fake reports it cures disease [Internet] 2020. Available from: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-coronavirus-methanol-drink-cure-deaths-fake-a9429956.html
Liu X, Baecker A, Wu M, Zhou JY, Yang J, Han RQ, et al. Raw Garlic Consumption and Risk of Liver Cancer: A Population-Based Case-Control Study in Eastern China. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):2038. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092038
Arreola R, Quintero-Fabián S, López-Roa RV, Flores-Gutiérrez EO, Reyes-Grajeda JP, Carrera-Quintanar L, et al. Immunomodulation and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Garlic Compounds. J Immunol Res. 2015;2015:401630. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/401630
Alyami HS, Orabi MAA, Aldhabbah FM, Alturki HN, Aburas WI, Alfayez AI, et al. Knowledge about COVID-19 and beliefs about and use of herbal products during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Pharm J. 2020;28(11):1326-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2020.08.023
World Health Organization (WHO). Information note on HIV and COVID-19 [Internet]. 2020. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/331919
Hoxha I, Malaj A, Kraja B, Bino S, Oluka M, Marković-Peković V, et al. Are pharmacists’ good knowledge and awareness on antibiotics taken for granted? The situation in Albania and future implications across countries. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 2018;13:240-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgar.2018.01.019
Iliyasu G, Ogoina D, Out AA, Dayyab FM, Ebenso B, Otokpa D, et al. A Multi-Site Knowledge Attitude and Practice Survey of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria. PLoS One. 2015;10(8):e0135955. https://dx.doi.org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0135955
Narayana G, Pradeepkumar B, Ramaiah JD, Jayasree T, Yadav DL, Kumar BK. Knowledge, perception, and practices towards COVID-19 pandemic among general public of India: A cross-sectional online survey. Curr Med Res Pract. 2020;10(4):153-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmrp.2020.07.013
Alqrache AT, Mostafa MM, Atta HM. Knowledge and attitude towards covid-19 among students of king Abdulaziz University. Era’s J Med Res. 2020;7(1):1-9. https://doi.org/10.24041/EJMR2020.4
Lui PSC, Sarangapany J, Begley K, Coote K, Kishore K. Medical and Nursing Students Perceived Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices concerning Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Int Scholarly Res Not. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/975875
Jalloh MF, Robinson SJ, Corker J, Li W, Irwin K, Barry AM, et al. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Ebola Virus Disease at the End of a National Epidemic - Guinea, August 2015. Morbidity Mortality Weekly Report. 2017;66(41):1109-15.
Al-Hanawi MK, Angawi K, Alshareef N, Qattan AMN, Helmy, HZ, Abudawood Y et al. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Toward COVID-19 Among the Public in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study. Front Public Health. 2020;8(217):1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00217