Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Towards COVID-19 Pandemic Among Quarantined Adults in Tigrai Region, Ethiopia

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic Profiles of Study Participants (n=331)

Variables	Category	Number	Percent (%)
Gender	Male	230	69.5
	Female	101	30.5
Age	18–29	198	59.8
	30–49	104	31.4
	Above 50	29	8.8
Occupation	Student	39	11.8
	Public sector	28	8.5
	Private sector	24	7.3
	Self-employed	103	31.1
	Not employed	80	24.2
	Farmer	38	11.5
	Retired	4	1.2
	Others	15	4.5
Educational status	Illiterate	37	11.2
	Read and write	21	6.3
	Primary school	90	27.2
	Secondary school	119	36
	College or university	64	19.3

Table 2 Participants’ Response to Each Knowledge Questions Towards COVID-19 (n=331)

Questions	True	False	I Do Not Know
The main clinical symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, fatigue, dry cough, and myalgia.	290 (87.6%)	31 (9.4%)	10 (3%)
2. Unlike the common cold, stuffy nose, runny nose, and sneezing are less common in persons infected with the COVID-19 virus.	135 (40.8%)	136 (41.1%)	60 (18.1%)
3. There is current, and no effective cure for COVID-19 but early symptoms and supporting treatment can help most patients recover from the infections.	243 (73.4%)	70 (21.1%)	18 (5.4%)
4. Not all persons with COVID-19 will develop severe cases. Only those who are elderly, have chronic illnesses, and are obese are more likely to be severe cases.	188 (56.8%)	105 (31.7%)	38 (11.5)
5. Eating or contacting wild animals would result in the infection by the COVID-19 virus.	198 (59.8%)	67 (20.2%)	66 (19.9%)
6. The person with COVID-19 cannot infect the virus to others when a fever is not present.	113 (34.1%)	164 (49.5%)	54 (16.3)
7. The COVID-19 virus spreads via respiratory droplets of infected individuals.	270 (81.6%)	35 (10.6)	26 (7.9%)
8. A COVID-19 virus is airborne.	223 (67.4%)	76 (23%)	32 (9.7%)
9. Ordinary residents can wear masks to prevent the infection by the COVID-19 virus.	244 (73.7%)	64 (19.3%)	23 (6.9%)
10. Children and young adults do not need to take measures to prevent the infection by the COVID-19 virus.	191 (57.7)	110 (33.2%)	30 (9.1%)
11. To prevent infection by COVID-19, an individual should avoid going to crowded places.	269 (81.3%)	39 (11.8%)	23 (6.9%)
12. Isolation & treatment of people infected with the COVID-19 virus are effective ways to reduce the spread of the virus.	275 (83.1%)	37 (11.2%)	19 (5.7%)
13. People who have contact with someone infected with the COVID-19 virus should be immediately isolated in a proper place.	253 (74.6%)	46 (13.9)	32 (9.7)

Note: N.B. Correct answers are underlined.

Table 3 Multivariable Logistic Regression on Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Knowledge Score of Participants (n=331)

Variables	Category	Number (%)	Not Knowledgeable	Knowledgeable	AOR(CI)
Gender	Male	230 (69.5)	119	111	2.1(1.3–3.5)***
	Female	101 (30.5)	70	31	Ref
Age	18–29	198 (59.8)	100	89	4.7(1.7–12.8)**
	30–49	104 (31.4)	65	39	2.9(1–8.2)*
	Above 50	29 (8.8)	24	5	Ref
Occupation	Student	39 (11.8)	20	19	Ref
	Public sector	28 (8.5)	12	16	1.4(0.5–3.7)
	Private sector	24 (7.3)	15	9	0.6(0.2–1.8)
	Self-employed	103 (31.1)	48	55	1.2(0.6–2.5)
	Not employed	80 (24.2)	53	27	0.5(0.2–1.1)
	Farmer	38 (11.5)	29	9	0.3(0.1-0.8)
	Retired	4 (1.2)	2	2	1(0.1-0.28)
	Others#	15 (4.5)	10	5	0.5(0.2–1.8)
Educational status	Illiterate	37 (11.2)	30	7	Ref
	Read and write	21 (6.3)	18	3	1.2(1–3.1)*
	Primary school	90 (27.2)	46	44	4.1(1.6–10)**
	Secondary school	119 (36)	62	57	3.9(1.6–9.7)***
	College or university	64 (19.3)	33	31	4 (1.5–10.5)***

Notes: *P<0.05; **P<0.01; ***P<0.001; #others = driver, housewife, daily laborers.

Table 4 Socio-Demographic Profile, Knowledge, and Attitude Towards COVID-19, in Tigrai Quarantine Centers, Ethiopia, 2020 (n=331)

Variables	Category	Do You Agree COVID-19 Will Finally be Successfully Controlled?			Do You have Confidence that Ethiopia can win the Battle Against the COVID-19?		Do you think the Ethiopian Government is Handling the Health Crisis well?
		Agree (%)	Disagree (%)	Not sure (%)	Yes (%)	No (%)	Agree (%)	Disagree (%)	Not Sure (%)
Sex	Male	50 (15)	163 (49)	19 (6)	53 (16)	177 (54)	118 (36)	88 (26.6)	24 (7.3)
	Female	25 (7.6)	65 (19.6)	11 (3)	32 (9.7)	69 (20.8)	46 (13.9)	35 (10.6)	20 (6)
Age	18–29	35 (11)	146 (44)	17 (5)	43 (13)	155 (47)	89 (26.9)	76 (23)	33 (10)
	30–49	28 (8.5)	66 (19.9)	10 (3)	31 (9.4)	73 (22.1)	57 (17.2)	39 (11.8)	8 (2.4)
	≥50	10 (3)	16 (4.8)	3 (0.9)	11 (3.3)	18 (5.4)	18 (5.4)	8 (2.4)	3 (0.9)
Occupation	Student	7 (2.1)	30 (9.1)	2 (0.6)	13 (3.9)	26 (7.9)	19 (5.7)	16 (4.8)	4 (1.2)
	Public sector	6 (1.8)	22 (6.6)	0 (0)	4 (1.2)	24 (7.3)	10 (3)	16 (4.8)	2 (0.6)
	Private sector	8 (2.4)	16 (4.8)	0 (0)	5 (1.5)	19 (5.7)	14 (4.2)	8 (2.4)	2 (0.6)
	Self-employed	22 (6.6)	69 (20.8)	12 (4)	21 (6.3)	82 (24.8)	47 (14.2)	44 (13.3)	12 (3.6)
	Unemployed	15 (4.5)	59 (17.8)	6 (1.8)	23 (6.9)	57 (17.2)	44 (13.3)	21 (6.3)	15 (4.5)
	Farmer	9 (2.7)	21 (6.3)	8 (2.4)	14 (4.2)	24 (7.3)	19 (5.7)	10 (3)	9 (2.7)
	Retired	1 (0.3)	3 (0.9)	0 (0)	1 (0.3)	3 (0.9)	3 (0.9)	1 (0.3)	0 (0)
	Others#	5 (1.5)	8 (2.4)	2 (0.6)	4 (1.2)	11 (3.3)	8 (2.4)	7 (2.1)	0 (0)
Educational status	Illiterate	13 (3.9)	19 (5.7)	5 (1.5)	21 (6.3)	16 (4.8)	24 (7.3)	11 (3.3)	2 (0.6)
	Read and write	5 (1.5)	12 (3.6)	4 (1.2)	9 (2.7)	12 (3.6)	12 (3.6)	4 (1.2)	5 (1.5)
	Primary school	18 (5.4)	56 (16.9)	16 (5)	17 (5.1)	73 (22)	34 (10.3)	38 (11.5)	18 (5.4)
	Secondary school	27 (8.2)	87 (26.3)	5 (1.5)	29 (8.7)	90 (27.2)	61 (18.4)	42 (12.7)	16 (4.8)
	College (above)	10 (3)	54 (16.3)	0 ***	9 (2.7)	55 (17)***	33 (10)	28 (8.5)	3 (0.9)*
Knowledge	Knowledgeable	119	13	10	132	10	73	55	14
	Not knowledgeable	109	60	20***	114	75***	50	109	30***

Notes: *P<0.05; ***P<0.001; #others = driver, housewife, daily laborers.

Figure 1 Participants believe in government’s handling the health crises.

Table 5 Demographic Characteristics and Practice to Prevent COVID-19

Variables	Category	“In Recent Days, Have You Gone to any Crowded Places?”		“In Recent Days, Have You Worn a Mask When Leaving Home?”		Do You Practice Prevention Measures Given by Local Health Care Authorities?
		Yes (%)	No (%)	Yes (%)	No (%)	Yes (%)	No (%)
Gender	Male	121 (36.6)	109 (32.9)	132 (39.9)	98 (29.6)	108 (32.6)	122 (36.9)
	Female	44 (13.3)	57 (17.2)	48 (14.5)	53 (16)	43 (13)	58 (17.5)
Age	18–29	108 (32.6)	90 (27.2)	110 (33.2)	88 (26.6)	97 (29.3)	101 (30.5)
	30–49	44 (13.3)	60 (18.1)	57 (17.2)	47 (14.2)	48 (14.5)	56 (16.9)
	≥50	13 (3.9)	16 (4.8)	13 (3.9)	16 (4.8)	6 (1.8)	23 (6.9)
Occupation	Student	22 (6.6)	17 (5.1)	22 (6.6)	17 (5.1)	17 (5.1)	22 (6.6)
	Public sector	17 (5.1)	11 (3.3)	19 (5.7)	9 (2.7)	15 (4.5)	13 (3.9)
	Private sector	13 (3.9)	11 (3.3)	11 (3.3)	13 (3.9)	9 (2.7)	15 (4.5)
	Self-employed	49 (14.8)	54 (16.3)	68 (20.5)	35 (10.6)	59 (17.8)	44 (13.3)
	Not employed	32 (9.7)	48 (14.5)	39 (11.8)	41 (12.4)	35 (10.6)	45 (13.6)
	Farmer	21 (6.3)	17 (5.1)	15 (4.5)	23 (6.9)	6 (1.8)	32 (9.7)
	Retired	3 (0.9)	1 (0.3)	3 (0.9)	1 (0.3)	3 (0.9)	1 (0.3)
	Others#	8 (2.4)	7 (2.1)	3 (0.9)	12 (3.6)	7 (2.1)	8 (2.4)
Educational status	Illiterate	24 (7.3)	13 (3.9)	11 (3.3)	26 (7.9)	10 (3)	27 (8.2)
	Read and write	11 (3.3)	10 (3)	8 (2.4)	13 (3.9)	4 (1.2)	17 (5.1)
	Primary school	45 (13.6)	45 (13.6)	53 (16)	37 (11.2)	45 (13.6)	45 (13.6)
	Secondary school	53 (16)	66 (19.9)	71 (21.5)	48 (14.5)	59 (17.8)	60 (18.1)
	College or above	32 (9.7)	32 (9.7)***	37 (11.2)	27 (8.2)***	33 (10)	31 (10)**
Knowledge	Knowledgeable	70 (21.1)	72 (21.7)	94 (24.4)	48 (14.5)	91 (27.5)	51 (15.4)
	Not knowledgeable	95 (28.7)	94 (24)***	86 (26)	103 (31)***	60 (18.1)	129 (39)***

Notes: **P<0.01; ***P<0.001; #others = driver, housewife, daily laborers.