COVID-19 risk perception and associated factors in older adults in southern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 remains a public health concern in lower income countries. Risk perception has been studied in different countries with different population groups. However, there have been few studies conducted risk perception on older adults and limited data from African continent. This study aimed to assess coronavirus disease low risk perception level and associated factors among older adults in Ethiopia. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among older adults in Areka town, Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia, from August 1, 2021, to August 30, 2021. Multi-stage sampling method was applied to select study participants. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire with the mobile application created with Open Data Kit mobile. RESULTS: Overall, risk perception was fairly low. Risk perception was particularly low among individuals aged 65 to 74 years (AOR = 4.76, 95% CI: 2.35-9.64), poor practice on preventing coronavirus disease (AOR = 2.39, 95% CI: 1.51-3.78), with low trust level in medical professionals (AOR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.45-4.10), no history of coronavirus disease (AOR = 6.45, 95%CI [2.02-20.58]), and poor perceived self-efficacy for preventive practice (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.43-3.54). CONCLUSIONS: In the current study area, the perception of risk of coronavirus disease was affected by age, perceived self-efficacy, trust in medical professionals, preventive practice, and history of COVID-19. The findings of this study would help lower income countries to generate evidence-based policy decisions for older adults during the COVI-D-19 pandemic and future pandemic(s).

Compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures among chronic disease patients in Wolaita and Dawuro zones, Southern Ethiopia: A proportional odds model.

INTRODUCTION: So far, shreds of evidence have shown that COVID-19 related hospitalization, serious outcomes, and mortality were high among individuals with chronic medical conditions. However, strict compliance with basic public health measures such as hand washing with soap, social distancing, and wearing masks has been recommended and proven effective in preventing transmission of the infection. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the level of compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures and identify its predictors among patients with common chronic diseases in public hospitals of Southern Ethiopia by applying the proportional odds model. METHODS: A facility-based cross-sectional study was employed in public hospitals of Southern Ethiopia between February and March 2021. Using a systematic random sampling technique, 419 patients with common chronic diseases were recruited. Data were collected using an Open Data Kit and then submitted to the online server. The proportional odds model was employed, and the level of significance was declared at a p-value of less than 0.05. RESULTS: This study revealed that 55.2% (95%CI: 50.4%-59.9%) of the study participants had low compliance levels with COVID-19 preventive measures. The final proportional odds model identified that perceived susceptibility (AOR: 0.91, 95%CI: 0.84, 0.97), cues to action (AOR: 0.89, 95%CI: 0.85, 0.94), having access to drinking water piped into the dwelling (AOR: 0.52, 95%CI: 0.32, 0.84), having no access to any internet (AOR: 0.62, 95%CI: 0.42, 0.92), having no functional refrigerator (AOR: 2.17, 95%CI: 1.26, 3.74), and having poor knowledge (AOR: 1.42, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.98) were the independent predictors of low compliance level with COVID-19 preventive measures. CONCLUSION: In the study area, more than half of the participants had low compliance levels with COVID-19 preventive measures. Thus, the identified factors should be considered when designing, planning, and implementing new interventional strategies, so as to improve the participants' compliance level.