<p>Perceived Barriers and Preventive Measures of COVID-19 Among Healthcare Providers in Debretabor, North Central Ethiopia, 2020</p>

Abstract

Background: Healthcare professionals are at the frontline facing the pandemic. Since the pandemic is new with sophisticated needs of resources, identifying perceived barriers of the healthcare institutions has an important input for the government in slowing the viral spread and prevents healthcare professionals from infection. Objective: The study was aimed to assessperceived barriers and preventive measures of corona virus disease among healthcare providers in Debretabor Town, north central Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthcare providers working in Debretabor town, north central Ethiopia from May 1 to 15, 2020. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were coded, entered, cleaned, and checked using Epi data statistical software version 4.2.0.0 and analysis using STATA Version 14 statistical software. Descriptive statistics of different variables were presented in figures, text, and tables. Chi-square (chi 2) test of independence was considered to examine the nonparametric association of factors with preventive practice, and association was considered at a P-value of less than 0.05. Results: A total of 183 healthcare providers participated in the survey, of which 67.76% were males, and 80.87% were in the age range of 25-35 years. About 45% of participants were nurses. In the current study, overall preventive practice was 68.3%. Despite recommendations by the World Health Organization, avoidance of outdoor, physical distancing, and avoiding meeting a person with a coughwere not implemented by 32.24%, 24.18%, and 13.11% of healthcare providers, respectively. Insufficient training, lack of policy, less commitment to infection control, and limitations of resources were perceived as major barriers for practicing preventive measures during the pandemic. Conclusion: Preventive measures taken by healthcare providers were poor. Multiple barriers, such as insufficient training related to the pandemic, limitation of resources, and less commitment of healthcare providers to infection prevention measures were reported. So, the government should work on reducing the pandemic propagation by fulfilling the barriers using different means or strategies.

Exploring Barriers to Effective Implementation of Public Health Measures for Prevention and Control of COVID-19 Pandemic in Gamo Zone of Southern Ethiopia: Using a Modified Tanahashi Model

“…This finding is similar to the findings of a study conducted among health professionals in public health facilities of southern Ethiopia 29 & Debretabor town, north-central Ethiopia. 34 Another systematic literature review study also supports this finding which says lack of resources for implementing public health and social measures is the most influential barrier to implement public health and social measures for preventing transmission of COVID-19. 12 …”

COVID-19 Prevention Practices and Associated Factors Among Frontline Community Health Workers in Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia

“…The studies conducted in Jimma University Medical Center visitors and the North central part of Ethiopia showed that marital status did not affect implementation of preventive practices. 22 , 28 This disagreement might be the difference in sample size, which was done only among 247 study participants in Jimma and 182 in Northern Ethiopia. 22 , 28 …”

“… 22 , 28 This disagreement might be the difference in sample size, which was done only among 247 study participants in Jimma and 182 in Northern Ethiopia. 22 , 28 …”

Egyptian Public’s Knowledge, Attitudes, Perceptions, and Practices toward COVID-19 Infection and Their Determinants. A Cross-Sectional Study, 2020

“…This was higher than reported by the Ethiopian study as 52.5% of participants, reported limitation of infection control materials. These differences may be related to the difference in the studied groups, as in the Ethiopian study, the studied group was health-care providers while, in this study, the studied group was the general population [25].…”