Misconceptions on COVID-19 Risk Among Ugandan Men: Results From a Rapid Exploratory Survey, April 2020

Abstract

Background: Transmission of COVID-19 in developing countries is expected to surpass that in developed countries; however, information on community perceptions of this new disease is scarce. The aim of the study was to identify possible misconceptions among males and females toward COVID-19 in Uganda using a rapid online survey distributed via social media. Methods: A cross-sectional survey carried out in early April 2020 was conducted with 161 Ugandans, who purposively participated in the online questionnaire that assessed understandings of COVID-19 risk and infection. Sixty-four percent of respondents were male and 36% were female. Results: We found significant divergences of opinion on gendered susceptibility to COVID-19. Most female respondents considered infection risk, symptoms, severe signs, and death to be equally distributed between genders. In contrast, male respondents believed they were more at risk of infection, severe symptoms, severe signs, and death (52.7 vs. 30.6%, RR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.14-2.8). Most women did not share this perception and disagreed that males were at higher risk of infection (by a factor of three), symptoms (79% disagree), severe signs (71%, disagree), and death (70.2% disagree). Overall, most respondents considered children less vulnerable (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.55-2.2) to COVID-19 than adults, that children present with less symptoms (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 0.77-3.19), and that there would be less mortality in children (OR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.41-1.88). Of female respondents, 76.4% considered mortality from COVID-19 to be different between the young and the elderly (RR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.01-2.92) and 92.7% Kasozi et al. Perceptions on COVID-19 Among Ugandans believed young adults would show fewer signs than the elderly, and 71.4% agreed that elderly COVID-19 patients would show more severe signs than the young (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.4, 4.8). While respondents considered that all races were susceptible to the signs and symptoms of infection as well as death from COVID-19, they considered mortality would be highest among white people from Europe and the USA. Some respondents (mostly male 33/102, 32.4%) considered COVID-19 to be a "disease of whites" (30.2%). Conclusion: The WHO has identified women and children in rural communities as vulnerable persons who should be given more attention in the COVID-19 national response programs across Africa; however, our study has found that men in Uganda perceive themselves to be at greater risk and that these contradictory perceptions (including the association of COVID-19 with "the white" race) suggest an important discrepancy in the communication of who is most vulnerable and why. Further research is urgently needed to validate and expand the results of this small exploratory study.

COVID-19 Awareness, Adoption of COVID-19 Preventive Measures, and Effects of COVID-19 Lockdown Among Adolescent Boys and Young Men in Kampala, Uganda

“…It is likely that our respondents did not think that they were at risk of contracting COVID-19 or if they contracted the disease, they did not think that it could result in serious consequences, given that there were very few people that had died of COVID-19 at the time of the study. Besides, some Ugandans thought that COVID-19 was a disease of the whites that could not affect them [ 24 ]. This low risk perception may have influenced ABYM’s limited uptake of COVID-19 prevention measures, which could explain why only about 17–41% indicated that they always followed the recommended COVID-19 prevention measures.…”

A Descriptive-Multivariate Analysis of Community Knowledge, Confidence, and Trust in COVID-19 Clinical Trials among Healthcare Workers in Uganda

“…During this period, COVID-19 national lockdown restrictions were just being lifted, and media reports emphasized the potential benefits of a COVID-19 vaccine. Data were collected using an online questionnaire to minimize printing and contact, consistent with COVID-19 precautionary measures [ 14 , 15 ]. Individuals working in a health facility (clinicians, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory personnel, and support staff) were targeted by using social media ( Figure 1 ).…”

Children’s Experiences of the Three-Week Lockdown in Ghana, West Africa: A Case Study of Accra and Tema

“…The literature shows that though children can become ill with COVID-19, compared to adults, children generally have less serious illness (United Nations, 2020; UNICEF, 2020b). Earlier works have shown that hospitalization and death rates among children are low and evidence abounds that children are not immune to it but are considered important asymptomatic carriers of the virus that cause COVID-19 (Kasozi et al, 2020). In spite of the massive publicity carried out on the virus, there is evidence to suggest that misconceptions still exist about the COVID-19 not affecting children.…”