Knowledge, risk perceptions, and behaviors related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi
Knowledge, risk perceptions, and behaviors related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi
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DOI：
10.4054/demres.2021.44.20
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发表时间：
2021-03-10
影响因子：
2.1
通讯作者：
Helleringer, Stephane
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Banda, Jethro;Dube, Albert N.;Helleringer, Stephane
为限制COVID-19大流行的传播和减轻影响，需要改变行为。目的：在马拉维（东南部非洲），我们测量了与COVID-19大流行早期阶段相关的知识和行为。方法利用COVID-19大流行前收集的电话号码列表，在该国记录第一例COVID-19确诊病例后的六周内通过手机联系了一组成年人样本。共访谈619人，回复率为79.5%。结果大约一半的受访者认为他们感染新型冠状病毒没有风险或只有有限的风险。与流行病学模型的预测相反，很大比例的答复者（72.2%）预计，如果受到感染，他们将病情严重。增加洗手和避开人群是最常见的预防SARS-CoV-2传播的策略。采取其他保护行为（如戴口罩）的情况有限。城市地区的应答者比农村应答者对疾病模式有更准确的认识，并采取了更多的保护行为。结论在大流行的最初几周，马拉维采取的预防行为仍然有限，可能是由于大部分人口对感染的感知风险较低。需要开展更多的信息宣传活动，以消除对SARS-CoV-2感染风险和COVID-19导致严重疾病可能性的误解。本研究提供了低收入国家对COVID-19大流行的行为反应的早期数据。
BACKGROUNDBehavioral changes are needed to limit the spread and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.OBJECTIVEWe measured knowledge and behaviors related to COVID-19 during the early stages of the pandemic in Malawi (Southeast Africa).METHODSUsing lists of phone numbers collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we contacted a sample of adults by mobile phone in the six weeks after the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the country. We interviewed 619 respondents (79.5% response rate).RESULTSApproximately half of respondents perceived no risk or only limited risk that they would become infected with the novel coronavirus. Contrary to projections from epidemiological models, a large percentage of respondents (72.2%) expected to be severely ill if they became infected. Increased hand washing and avoiding crowds were the most frequently reported strategies used to prevent spreading SARS-CoV-2. The adoption of other protective behaviors (e.g., face masks) was limited. Respondents in urban areas had more accurate knowledge of disease patterns and had adopted more protective behaviors than rural respondents.CONCLUSIONSIn the first weeks of the pandemic, the adoption of preventive behaviors remained limited in Malawi, possibly due to low perceived risk of infection among a large fraction of the population. Additional information campaigns are needed to address misperceptions about the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and the likelihood of severe illness due to COVID-19.CONTRIBUTIONThis study provides early data on behavioral responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in a low-income country.