Evaluation of the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of COVID-19 Prevention Methods Among Hypertensive Patients in North Shoa, Ethiopia

Introduction The occurrence of coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) has affected more than 247 million populations around the world. People with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, elderly people, and people with weak immunity develop severe types of COVID-19 if exposed to the disease. Therefore, this study aimed to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice of COVID-19 prevention methods among hypertensive patients in North Shoa, Oromia region, Ethiopia. Methods An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 5/2020 to June 5/2020 in public hospitals in the North Shoa zone, Ethiopia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and study participants were recruited using a simple random sampling technique. The data were checked for completeness and entered into the EpiData manager version 4.4.1 and transferred to SPSS version 23 for analysis purposes. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were computed and a significant association was declared with a p-value less than 0.05. Results A total of 360 (97.0%) hypertension patients responded. This study revealed that 210 (58.3%) study participants had good knowledge of COVID-19 prevention methods, 199 (55.3%) had a favorable attitude towards COVID-19 prevention methods, and 210 (58.3%) hypertension patients at follow-up practiced COVID-19 prevention methods. Respondents who received less than two thousand Ethiopian birrs monthly and respondents who followed electronic news media were significantly associated with the use of sanitizer, respondents who had a favorable attitude towards the COVID-19 prevention method were significantly associated with mask-wearing, and respondents who received less than two thousand Ethiopian birrs monthly were significantly associated with maintaining a physical distance. Conclusion Generally, this study finding revealed that the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice towards COVID-19 prevention among hypertension patients was low. Therefore, increasing knowledge, attitude, and practice on COVID-19 among hypertension patients requires a coordinated effort from the government, non-government, and health professionals.

Anxiety and depression symptoms in older adults during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: A community-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has caused high morbidity and mortality in older adults over the world. Because the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic greatly affects older adults who have a preexisting health condition, they are generally susceptible to a high incidence of severe symptoms of anxiety and depression. Therefore, we aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in older adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. METHODS: Community-based cross-sectional study was completed in August 2020. Standardized and pretested General Anxiety Disorder-7 and Geriatric Depression Scale were used to screen the symptoms of anxiety and depression, respectively. Data were entered into EpiData (version 4.3.2) and transferred to SPSS (version 24) for further analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to determine the significantly associated variables with a 95% confidence interval at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Of the total older adults interviewed, 68.7% had developed symptoms of anxiety and 59.9% had symptoms of depression during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Female participants, having a chronic disease and poor knowledge of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms. Age category of 81 to 90 and above 90, lack of social support, and having a chronic disease were significantly associated with symptoms of depression. CONCLUSION: The symptoms of anxiety and depression among older adults in the North Shoa Zone during coronavirus disease 2019 were higher than before the coronavirus disease 2019 happened. The results were evidence points for developing a psychological intervention to tackle the older adults' mental health needs in the community during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Psychological Distress, Early Behavioral Response, and Perception Toward the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Health Care Workers in North Shoa Zone, Oromiya Region.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant psychological impact on health care workers (HCWs). Therefore, this study inspects the mental health status, behavioral response, and perception among HCWs (nurses, physicians, and medical laboratory workers) during the COVID-19 pandemic in public health care facilities. Methods: A facilities-based cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2020. A simple random sampling technique was used to select study participants. Data were collected by self-report administered questionnaires using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression, General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety, Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) for insomnia, Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) for psychological distress, Perceived Threat Scale for perception, and Behavioral Response Inquiry for the behavioral response. Moreover, bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions analysis was used to identify the association between dependent and independent variables at p-value <0.05. Results: A total of 417 (98.6%) HCWs responded to a self-administered questionnaire. The proportion of HCWs who had moderate to severe symptoms of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and insomnia during the COVID-19 pandemic were 58, 16.3, 30.7, and 15.9%, respectively. Three-fifth of the nurses, medical laboratory professionals (62.2%), and physicians (59.2%) had reported good behavioral responses toward the COVID-19 pandemic. More than three-fifths of the nurses had reported poor perception toward the COVID-19 pandemic. Conversely, 61.2% of physicians and three-fourths (75.5%) of medical laboratory professionals had reported good perception toward the COVID-19 pandemic. Female and married participants, those working in the emergency unit, those with poor behavioral responses, and those with poor perception toward the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly associated with symptoms of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Conclusions: Psychological impacts among physicians, nurses, and medical laboratory professionals are high during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health should aim to protect all HCWs' psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic with appropriate interventions and accurate information response.

Self-Reported Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Healthcare Workers in Ethiopia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency that has affected many world nations, including Ethiopia. Aside from its implications on the community as a whole, COVID-19 has also been associated with a variety of mental health problems among healthcare workers (HCWs). In this study, we aim to assess the prevalence of self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic among HCWs in central Ethiopia. METHODS: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey from June 25, 2020, to July 25, 2020, in Ethiopia. Data were collected using a self-reported Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Data were cleaned, coded, and analysed using SPSS Version 23. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was done to identify the associated factors for mental health outcomes at a p-value of less than 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 816 HCWs completed the self-report questionnaire. The percentage of HCWs who had moderate to extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were 60.3%, 78%, and 33.8%, respectively. Female participants, HCWs in the Oromiya Special Zone, medical laboratory professionals, and HCWs working in the COVID-19 treatment isolation centers were significantly more likely to have symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. CONCLUSION: In this study, HCWs reported a high prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Female participants, HCWs in the Oromiya Special Zone, medical laboratory professionals, and HCWs working in the COVID-19 treatment isolation centers were significantly more likely to have symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. It is imperative that the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health should develop psychological interventions to address the specific needs of HCWs who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness and Response of Chronic Disease Patients in Public Health Facilities.

BACKGROUND: The Coronavirus Diseases 2019 (COVID-19) causes a unique threat and a great challenge to chronic disease patients. Apart from its severity for all communities, a chronic disease patient is highly vulnerable to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this study aimed to assess preparedness and response against the COVID-19 among chronic diseases patients who had follow-up at healthcare facilities. METHODS: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the North Shoa Zone from May 5, 2020, to June 5/2020. A pre-tested and semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The study participants were selected by simple random sampling technique. The data were entered into the Epi-data and exported to SPSS for cleaning and analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify the factors associated with the COVID-19 preparedness and response. RESULTS: A total of 410 (97%) patients were responded to face to face interview administered questionnaire. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents had good knowledge, 54% were well prepared, and 63% had a good response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Male participants, news media (TV & Radio), social media, tuberculosis, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with a good preparedness. Informal education, news media (TV & Radio), and having hypertension were significantly associated with good response to the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic among chronic disease patients was low. Male participants, source of information, educational status, and having chronic diseases were significantly associated with the COVID-19 prevention preparedness and response. It should be continued to provide awareness creation for chronic patients through news media (TV and radio) and social media to increasing the preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patient Satisfaction and Associated Factors During COVID-19 Pandemic in North Shoa Health Care Facilities.

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction is an indicator of healthcare quality service and involved as an outcome measure. Quality of healthcare service and patient satisfaction has been affected by the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It induced uncertainness and shortage of medical supplies due to a limited global movement. Therefore, this study aimed to assess patient satisfaction and associated factors among chronic patients who had a follow-up in North Shoa healthcare facilities. METHODS: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was used to select 410 study participants through a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected by a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, entered into Epi Info version 7, and transported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify the factors associated with satisfaction. The odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was computed, and p-value <0.05 was considered statistical significance in the multivariable model. RESULTS: The overall level of patient satisfaction was 44.6%. The presence of sign and direction indicators (AOR=3.26, 95% CI=1.1, 9.92), obtaining some ordered drugs (AOR=3.7, 95% CI=1.1, 12.54), getting alcohol for hand cleaning (AOR=2.66, 95% CI=1.1,6.65), obtaining sanitizer for hand cleaning (AOR=4.45, 95% CI=1.72,11.52), and maintaining social distancing (AOR=2.63, 95% CI=1.21, 5.70) were factors associated with patient's satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The level of patient satisfaction was very low during a COVID-19 pandemic. The presence of sign and direction indicators, availability of drugs, social distancing, availability of alcohol, and sanitizer were factors associated with patient satisfaction. The intervention targeted at increasing patient satisfaction and improving the quality of service during COVID-19 through maintaining social distancing and availing alcohol or sanitizers is necessary.