Institute for Development, Freetown, Sierra Leone
University of Sierra Leone College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, Freetown, Western Area, Sierra Leone.
BMJ Open. 2024 Jul 24;14(7):e080308. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-080308.
This study aimed to identify the primary sources of COVID-19 health information for adolescent girls in Sierra Leone and evaluate their perceived trustworthiness and influence on their behaviour.
Using a convenience sampling strategy grounded in the social cognitive theory, the study explored adolescents' navigation and appraisal of health information sources, their understanding of COVID-19, and the impact of societal and observational influences on their health beliefs and actions. Data analysis involved thematic analysis using NVivo V.12 software, focusing on patterns within responses related to observational learning, trusted sources and behavioural outcomes.
Sierra Leone, July 2020.
16 focus group discussions were conducted among 86 adolescents (6-8 per group) aged 15-19 years in Sierra Leone.
Primary sources of COVID-19 information.
Adolescent girls identified a diverse range of health information sources, including schools, social media, health workers and radio, with notable differences in trust and preference based on geographical and social contexts. A noteworthy finding was the significant trust placed in health workers, marking a stark contrast to fear and mistrust during the Ebola emergency only 5 years previously. This renewed trust in health professionals emerged as a critical factor influencing adolescents' health behaviours and acceptance of COVID-19 preventive measures.
This study underscores the complexity of navigating health information among adolescent girls during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the importance of tailored public health messaging that accounts for local cultural contexts, addresses misconceptions and builds on trusted information sources to foster effective health behaviours. Future interventions could prioritise enhancing educational resources, leveraging trusted community figures, and ensuring that health communication is scientifically accurate and culturally sensitive.
本研究旨在确定塞拉利昂青春期少女获取 COVID-19 健康信息的主要来源，并评估她们对这些信息来源的信任度及其对行为的影响。
本研究基于社会认知理论，采用便利抽样策略，探讨了青少年对健康信息来源的获取和评价、对 COVID-19 的认知，以及社会和观察性影响对其健康信念和行为的影响。数据分析采用 NVivo V.12 软件进行主题分析，重点关注与观察学习、可信赖的信息来源和行为结果相关的反应模式。
塞拉利昂，2020 年 7 月。
在塞拉利昂，对 86 名 15-19 岁的青少年（每组 6-8 人）进行了 16 次焦点小组讨论。
COVID-19 信息的主要来源。
少女们确定了一系列广泛的健康信息来源，包括学校、社交媒体、卫生工作者和广播，基于地理位置和社会背景，对不同来源的信任度和偏好存在显著差异。一个显著的发现是对卫生工作者的高度信任，这与 5 年前埃博拉紧急情况期间的恐惧和不信任形成鲜明对比。这种对卫生专业人员的新信任是影响青少年健康行为和接受 COVID-19 预防措施的关键因素。
本研究强调了 COVID-19 大流行期间青春期少女获取健康信息的复杂性。它突出了制定针对当地文化背景的公共卫生信息的重要性，解决误解，并利用可信赖的信息来源，以促进有效的健康行为。未来的干预措施可以优先考虑增强教育资源，利用可信赖的社区人物，并确保卫生信息交流具有科学性和文化敏感性。
