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Misconceptions About COVID-19 and Associated Factors Among Residents of Dilla Town, Southern Ethiopia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 October 2022

Berhanu Gidisa Debela Open the ORCID record for Berhanu Gidisa Debela [Opens in a new window] ,
Habtamu Endashaw Hareru Open the ORCID record for Habtamu Endashaw Hareru [Opens in a new window] ,
Getachew Assefa Zenebe Open the ORCID record for Getachew Assefa Zenebe [Opens in a new window]  and
Abdene Weya Kaso Open the ORCID record for Abdene Weya Kaso [Opens in a new window]
Berhanu Gidisa Debela*
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Science, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia
Habtamu Endashaw Hareru
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Science, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia
Getachew Assefa Zenebe
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Science, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia
Abdene Weya Kaso
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Science, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia
*
Corresponding author: Berhanu Gidisa Debela, Email: berhanugdebela@gmail.com.
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Abstract

Background:

Despite the implementation of various coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention and control strategies, the rate of COVID-19 is alarmingly increasing in Ethiopia as well as worldwide. The success of COVID-19 prevention measures is highly influenced by a lack of knowledge and misconceptions. This study aimed to assess misconceptions about COVID-19 and associated factors among residents of Dilla Town, southern Ethiopia.

Methods:

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 1 to 30, 2020. Data were collected from 415 individuals using structured interviewer-based questionnaires. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify the relationship between the dependent and independent variables.

Results:

The proportion of respondents who have a high misconception about COVID-19 was 41.1%. Study participants who had poor knowledge were 2.1 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-3.8) times more likely to have a misconception about COVID-19 than their counterparts. Respondents who had access to information from more than 2 sources were 3.29 (with 95% CI: 1.2-9.2) times less likely to have a misconception about COVID-19 when compared with those who had access to 2 or fewer information sources.

Conclusions:

A significant proportion of people have misconceptions about COVID-19 in the study area. To resolve these misconceptions, health sectors and stakeholders need to improve the residents’ knowledge by delivering COVID-19–related information from credible sources on a routine basis.

Keywords

misconceptionCOVID 19factorssouthern Ethiopia
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 17 , 2023 , e273
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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