Healthcare Workers' Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Perceived Health Facility Preparedness Regarding COVID-19 in Sierra Leone.

COVID-19 Sierra Leone attitude healthcare workers knowledge practice

Journal

Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare
ISSN: 1178-2390
Titre abrégé: J Multidiscip Healthc
Pays: New Zealand
ID NLM: 101512691

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
2021
Historique:
received: 16 10 2020
accepted: 08 12 2020
entrez: 20 1 2021
pubmed: 21 1 2021
medline: 21 1 2021
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are known to spearhead the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, their knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are considered critical to the success of the current COVID-19 response efforts. This study aims to determine HCWs' KAP toward COVID-19 and assesses their perception of their healthcare facilities preparedness to respond appropriately to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Sierra Leone. We conducted an online cross-sectional study among HCWs (n=516) between 1st May 2020 and 30th June 2020. We collected our data using a self-administered structured questionnaire via email and online social media platforms. We analyzed our data using descriptive statistics and regression analysis (p<0.05). Close to three-fourth of HCWs (n=375, 72.7%) were knowledgeable regarding COVID-19. Doctors were more knowledgeable than community health workers and laboratory technicians (AOR= 2.48, 95% CI: 1.16-5.31, p=0.019) regarding COVID-19. Close to two-thirds of HCWs (n=301, 58.3%) HCWs show positive attitudes toward COVID-19. Being male (AOR=2.08, 95% CI: 1.36-3.20, p=0.001) and directly involved in COVID-19 patient care (AOR=3.21, 95% CI: 1.88-5.48, p<0.001) were identified as predictors of positive attitude towards COVID-19. HCWs are generally adhering to COVID-19 safe practices with majority indicating that they regularly wash or sanitize their hands (n=510, 98.8%) and used facemask at point of care (n=499, 96.7%). Majority of HCWs are of the view that their healthcare facilities are ill-prepared to adequately respond to COVID-19 with majority (n= 400, 77.5%) of them stating that their facilities lack enough personal protective equipment. HCWs in Sierra Leone showed good knowledge, positive attitude and practice regarding COVID-19. However, HCWs are of the view that their healthcare facilities are ill-prepared to respond adequately to the COVID-19 outbreak. Health authorities and policymakers need to provide the necessary resources to allow HCWs to work in a safe environment.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are known to spearhead the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, their knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are considered critical to the success of the current COVID-19 response efforts. This study aims to determine HCWs' KAP toward COVID-19 and assesses their perception of their healthcare facilities preparedness to respond appropriately to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Sierra Leone.
METHODS METHODS
We conducted an online cross-sectional study among HCWs (n=516) between 1st May 2020 and 30th June 2020. We collected our data using a self-administered structured questionnaire via email and online social media platforms. We analyzed our data using descriptive statistics and regression analysis (p<0.05).
RESULTS RESULTS
Close to three-fourth of HCWs (n=375, 72.7%) were knowledgeable regarding COVID-19. Doctors were more knowledgeable than community health workers and laboratory technicians (AOR= 2.48, 95% CI: 1.16-5.31, p=0.019) regarding COVID-19. Close to two-thirds of HCWs (n=301, 58.3%) HCWs show positive attitudes toward COVID-19. Being male (AOR=2.08, 95% CI: 1.36-3.20, p=0.001) and directly involved in COVID-19 patient care (AOR=3.21, 95% CI: 1.88-5.48, p<0.001) were identified as predictors of positive attitude towards COVID-19. HCWs are generally adhering to COVID-19 safe practices with majority indicating that they regularly wash or sanitize their hands (n=510, 98.8%) and used facemask at point of care (n=499, 96.7%). Majority of HCWs are of the view that their healthcare facilities are ill-prepared to adequately respond to COVID-19 with majority (n= 400, 77.5%) of them stating that their facilities lack enough personal protective equipment.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
HCWs in Sierra Leone showed good knowledge, positive attitude and practice regarding COVID-19. However, HCWs are of the view that their healthcare facilities are ill-prepared to respond adequately to the COVID-19 outbreak. Health authorities and policymakers need to provide the necessary resources to allow HCWs to work in a safe environment.

Identifiants

pubmed: 33469299
doi: 10.2147/JMDH.S287156
pii: 287156
pmc: PMC7810694
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

67-80

Informations de copyright

© 2021 Kanu et al.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest for this work.

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Auteurs

Sulaiman Kanu (S)

University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospital Complex, Connaught Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Peter Bai James (PB)

Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.

Abdulai Jawo Bah (AJ)

Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Institute for Global Health and Development, Queen Margaret University Edinburg, Musselburgh, Scotland, UK.

John Alimamy Kabba (JA)

Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.

Musa Salieu Kamara (MS)

University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospital Complex, Connaught Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Christine Ellen Elleanor Williams (CEE)

Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Joseph Sam Kanu (JS)

Directorate of Disease Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Classifications MeSH