Okon Ubong Akpan, Onche Christiana, Ajisegiri Simeon Whenayon, Katchy Uche, Onyema Peter, Uwazie Charles, Anastasia Isika, Abdullahi Araga, Balogun Muhammad Shakir
Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Abuja, Nigeria.
Department of Public Health, Nigeria Police Medical Service, Makurdi, Nigeria.
Pan Afr Med J. 2021 Feb 22;38:199. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2021.38.199.25664. eCollection 2021.
the current pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by a novel strain (SARS-CoV-2) is enormous and continues to pose a threat to the lives of people. In Nigeria, as of 21 April 2020, 668 confirmed cases, 22 deaths and 188 recoveries have been reported. Police officers are at the forefront of enforcing advisories to ensure public compliance. However, there is a paucity of data on knowledge, risk perception, and adherence to COVID-19 advisories issued by the Health authorities particularly among the police officers. We, therefore, assessed the knowledge, risk perceptions and adherence to NCDC recommended advisory on COVID-19.
we conducted a two-stage sampling cross-sectional study among different cadres of police officers in Benue State, Nigeria using a pretested, semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. The results of the study were presented in frequencies and proportions. Chi-square test was used for an association between variables at p-value < 0.05.
the mean age of the 305 participants was 39.1 ± 8.4 years and most, 124 (40.7%) of the participants were within age-group 30-39 years, 19 (64.3%.8) were male, 250 (82.0%) were married and 160 (52.5%) had secondary education as the highest qualification. Majority of the participants, 301 (98.7%) have heard about COVID-19 and the commonest source of information was via television/radio, 230 (76.4%). Most participants demonstrate a good knowledge of COVID-19 infection, 302 (99.0%) and positive risk perception of COVID-19, 303 (99.3%) but few demonstrated good adherences on COVID-19 prevention practices, 133 (43.6%). Participants' academic qualification (X = 10.98, p = 0.001) and cadre (X = 112.5, p = 0.001) were found to be associated with good adherence.
while most participants had a good knowledge of COVID-19 transmission dynamics, and positive risk perception about COVID-19, good adherence to public health advisories were low. We recommended periodic training, provision of adequate PPE and personal hand-sanitizers as a strategy to improve adherence.
由新型毒株（严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2，SARS-CoV-2）引起的当前冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行规模巨大，且继续对人们的生命构成威胁。在尼日利亚，截至2020年4月21日，已报告668例确诊病例、22例死亡和188例康复病例。警察处于执行建议的前沿，以确保公众遵守规定。然而，关于卫生当局发布的COVID-19相关知识、风险认知以及对这些建议的遵守情况的数据匮乏，尤其是在警察群体中。因此，我们评估了对尼日利亚疾病控制中心（NCDC）推荐的COVID-19相关建议的知识、风险认知及遵守情况。
我们在尼日利亚贝努埃州不同级别的警察中进行了两阶段抽样横断面研究，使用预先测试的、半结构化的、由访谈员实施的问卷。研究结果以频率和比例呈现。卡方检验用于p值<0.05时变量之间的关联分析。
305名参与者的平均年龄为39.1±8.4岁，其中大多数，124名（40.7%）参与者年龄在30 - 39岁之间，19名（64.3%）为男性，250名（82.0%）已婚，160名（52.5%）的最高学历为中学。大多数参与者，301名（98.7%）听说过COVID-19，最常见的信息来源是电视/广播，230名（76.4%）。大多数参与者对COVID-19感染表现出良好的了解，302名（99.0%），对COVID-19有积极的风险认知，303名（99.3%），但很少有人在COVID-19预防措施方面表现出良好的遵守情况，133名（43.6%）。发现参与者的学历（X = 10.98，p = 0.001）和级别（X = 112.5，p = 0.001）与良好的遵守情况相关。
虽然大多数参与者对COVID-19传播动态有良好的了解，并且对COVID-19有积极的风险认知，但对公共卫生建议的良好遵守率较低。我们建议定期培训、提供充足个人防护装备和个人洗手液作为提高遵守率的策略。
