The emergence of COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Community knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Kinshasa
<h4>Background</h4> The first COVID-19 case in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was reported on 10 March 2020 in Kinshasa, prompting the government to promote internationally agreed non-pharmacological interventions for infection prevention and control. Public compliance to these m...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2022-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9212135/?tool=EBI |
| _version_ | 1811238550855745536 |
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| author | Pierre Z. Akilimali Désiré K. Mashinda Aimé M. Lulebo Eric M. Mafuta Marie A. Onyamboko Nguyen Toan Tran |
| author_facet | Pierre Z. Akilimali Désiré K. Mashinda Aimé M. Lulebo Eric M. Mafuta Marie A. Onyamboko Nguyen Toan Tran |
| author_sort | Pierre Z. Akilimali |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4> The first COVID-19 case in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was reported on 10 March 2020 in Kinshasa, prompting the government to promote internationally agreed non-pharmacological interventions for infection prevention and control. Public compliance to these measures is critical and depends on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of communities regarding COVID-19, for which there was no data. This study aimed to bridge that gap. <h4>Methods</h4> A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Kinshasa in June 2020, during the emergency state, following a four-stage sampling process. Master’s students from the Kinshasa School of Public Health conducted the survey. Descriptive and regression analyses were performed. <h4>Results</h4> The study enrolled 726 women and 600 men (mean age: 43; SD 16-85). Nearly everyone heard about COVID-19 (mainly through television, radio, and street reports), but only 17% were highly knowledgeable about its transmission modes, signs and symptoms, and preventive measures. More than 80% of participants believed in the disease’s seriousness; however, only 21% found the total lockdown acceptable. Nonetheless, 86% reported regular hand cleaning and mask-wearing followed by physical distancing (72%). Poorer, younger, and non-Catholic participants were overall markedly less knowledgeable and had comparatively lower levels of health-protective attitudes, acceptance, and practices. The education level and household size did not matter. Female participants tended to show fewer enabling attitudes and practices toward COVID-19 prevention measures compared to men. <h4>Conclusion</h4> Adequate public health information to improve the population’s KAP related to COVID-19 is critical and must be designed with and delivered to the community—considering the specific needs of diverse sub-groups and contexts. Studies in Kinshasa and similar settings are necessary to understand the barriers to and enablers of acquiring, applying, and maintaining the optimal population’s KAP for COVID-19 prevention and control. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:44:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-16f86c3dfc3c4619b2b582609bad0434 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:44:36Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-16f86c3dfc3c4619b2b582609bad04342022-12-22T03:32:39ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-01176The emergence of COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Community knowledge, attitudes, and practices in KinshasaPierre Z. AkilimaliDésiré K. MashindaAimé M. LuleboEric M. MafutaMarie A. OnyambokoNguyen Toan Tran<h4>Background</h4> The first COVID-19 case in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was reported on 10 March 2020 in Kinshasa, prompting the government to promote internationally agreed non-pharmacological interventions for infection prevention and control. Public compliance to these measures is critical and depends on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of communities regarding COVID-19, for which there was no data. This study aimed to bridge that gap. <h4>Methods</h4> A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Kinshasa in June 2020, during the emergency state, following a four-stage sampling process. Master’s students from the Kinshasa School of Public Health conducted the survey. Descriptive and regression analyses were performed. <h4>Results</h4> The study enrolled 726 women and 600 men (mean age: 43; SD 16-85). Nearly everyone heard about COVID-19 (mainly through television, radio, and street reports), but only 17% were highly knowledgeable about its transmission modes, signs and symptoms, and preventive measures. More than 80% of participants believed in the disease’s seriousness; however, only 21% found the total lockdown acceptable. Nonetheless, 86% reported regular hand cleaning and mask-wearing followed by physical distancing (72%). Poorer, younger, and non-Catholic participants were overall markedly less knowledgeable and had comparatively lower levels of health-protective attitudes, acceptance, and practices. The education level and household size did not matter. Female participants tended to show fewer enabling attitudes and practices toward COVID-19 prevention measures compared to men. <h4>Conclusion</h4> Adequate public health information to improve the population’s KAP related to COVID-19 is critical and must be designed with and delivered to the community—considering the specific needs of diverse sub-groups and contexts. Studies in Kinshasa and similar settings are necessary to understand the barriers to and enablers of acquiring, applying, and maintaining the optimal population’s KAP for COVID-19 prevention and control.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9212135/?tool=EBI |
| spellingShingle | Pierre Z. Akilimali Désiré K. Mashinda Aimé M. Lulebo Eric M. Mafuta Marie A. Onyamboko Nguyen Toan Tran The emergence of COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Community knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Kinshasa PLoS ONE |
| title | The emergence of COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Community knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Kinshasa |
| title_full | The emergence of COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Community knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Kinshasa |
| title_fullStr | The emergence of COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Community knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Kinshasa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The emergence of COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Community knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Kinshasa |
| title_short | The emergence of COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Community knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Kinshasa |
| title_sort | emergence of covid 19 in the democratic republic of congo community knowledge attitudes and practices in kinshasa |
| url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9212135/?tool=EBI |
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