ICAP Ethiopia, Amhara Regional Office, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
Research and Technology Transfer Directorate, Amhara Public Health Institute Dessie Branch, Dessie, Ethiopia.
Front Public Health. 2022 Jul 18;10:899808. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.899808. eCollection 2022.
Knowledge and attitudes are among the key drivers of social behavioral change. We assessed employed health professionals' (HPs) knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding COVID-19 in Dessie city, northeast Ethiopia.
A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 419 HPs working at Dessie city from 17 to 21 May 2020. The data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Knowledge, attitude, and practice are measured using 19, 16, and 8 questions, respectively. Knowledge and attitude scores are dichotomized at the 3rd quartile, while practice is using the mean value. Data entry and analysis were conducted using EpiData Manager 4.2 and SPSS 25, respectively. Three independent logistic regression analyses were carried out to determine the associated factors. We defined significant association at a -value of < 0.05.
Out of 419 participants, 369 (88.1%) have sufficient knowledge regarding COVID-19 (95% CI: 85-91). The mean knowledge score is 16.8 with a ± 2.1 SD. Similarly, 355 (84.7%) of the HPs have a favorable attitude toward COVID-19 (95% CI: 81-87.9). The mean attitude score is 14 with ± 2.1 SD. However, practice regarding COVID-19 is adequate only in 69.7% (292) of the HPs (95% CI: 65.2-94). The mean practice score is 5.1 with a ± 1.3 SD. Sufficient knowledge is significantly associated with the type of health facility (AOR: 4.4, 95% CI: 1.4-13.3), degree and above education (AOR: 2.6, 95% Cl: 1.4-4.9), radio availability (AOR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.3-4.7), and social media utilization (AOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1-5.1). The predictors of favorable attitude are training (AOR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.6-6.1), sufficient knowledge (AOR: 5.2, 95% Cl: 2.6-10.4), and type of health facility (AOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1-5.2).
Most HPs have sufficient knowledge and a favorable attitude regarding COVID-19. However, practice is relatively low and there remains plenty to build assertive preventive behaviors. The gap between knowledge and practice should be narrowed through an appropriate social and behavioral change communication strategy.
知识和态度是社会行为改变的关键驱动因素之一。我们评估了埃塞俄比亚东北部德西市在职卫生专业人员（HPs）对 COVID-19 的知识、态度和实践情况。
2020 年 5 月 17 日至 21 日，在德西市的 419 名 HPs 中进行了一项基于机构的横断面研究。使用自我管理的结构化问卷收集数据。知识、态度和实践分别使用 19、16 和 8 个问题进行测量。知识和态度得分在第 3 四分位数处进行二分，而实践则使用平均值。使用 EpiData Manager 4.2 和 SPSS 25 分别进行数据录入和分析。进行了三项独立的逻辑回归分析，以确定相关因素。我们将有意义的关联定义为 - 值<0.05。
在 419 名参与者中，有 369 名（88.1%）对 COVID-19 有足够的知识（95%CI：85-91）。平均知识得分是 16.8，标准差为 2.1。同样，有 355 名（84.7%）HPs 对 COVID-19 有良好的态度（95%CI：81-87.9）。平均态度得分为 14，标准差为 2.1。然而，COVID-19 的实践仅在 69.7%（292）名 HPs 中是充分的（95%CI：65.2-94）。平均实践得分是 5.1，标准差为 1.3。有足够的知识与卫生机构类型（AOR：4.4，95%CI：1.4-13.3）、程度以上的教育（AOR：2.6，95%Cl：1.4-4.9）、广播的可用性（AOR：2.4，95%CI：1.3-4.7）和社交媒体的利用（AOR：2.3，95%CI：1.1-5.1）显著相关。有利态度的预测因素是培训（AOR：3.1，95%CI：1.6-6.1）、充足的知识（AOR：5.2，95%Cl：2.6-10.4）和卫生机构类型（AOR：2.3，95%CI：1.1-5.2）。
大多数 HPs 对 COVID-19 有足够的知识和良好的态度。然而，实践相对较低，仍然有很多需要建立自信的预防行为。应通过适当的社会和行为改变沟通策略缩小知识和实践之间的差距。
