Risk perceptions and attitudinal responses to COVID-19 pandemic: an online survey in Ethiopia

Abstract

Background Effective risk communication is one of the critical strategies in the response to COVID-19. This study examined risk perceptions and attitudinal responses to COVID-19 among the educated section of the society in Ethiopia. Methods An internet-based survey was conducted from April 22 to May 04, 2020, in Ethiopia. A questionnaire addressing the perception of health threat-combination of perceived vulnerability (PV) and perceived seriousness (PS), and perceived efficacy-combinations of perceived response efficacy (PRE), perceived self-efficacy (PSE), and perceived collective efficacy (PCE). The data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0. Descriptive statistics were computed after the standardization of the scores. The scores for overall efficacy and threat were split by median value and response classifications were generated through threat by efficacy interactions. For statistical significance, 95% CI and p-value < 0.05 were used. Results A total of 929 respondents submitted their responses. Eight hundred and twenty-eight (89.1%) of the respondents were male and 753 (81.1%) were Christian. The perceived threat to COVID-19 was generally low (median = 58.3). The median score for overall efficacy, PRE, and PSE were 79.8, 87.5, and 80.0, respectively. However, the median value (66.7) for PCE was relatively low. Perceived threat significantly varied by age, education, occupation, and place of residence (p < 0.05). Perceived efficacy significantly differed by gender, residence, and use of some sources of information (p < 0.05). In terms of response to COVID-19, 290 (31.2%), 239 (25.7%), 175 (18.8%) and 225 (24.2%) of the respondents were in the responsive, pro-active, avoidant, and indifferent attitudinal categories, respectively. The avoidant and indifferent groups constituted a fear control response (mal-adaptive motivation towards COVID-19 protective behavior) whereas responsive and pro-active categories formed a danger control response (self-protective motivation). These responses varied significantly by residence, region, religion, and sources of information (p < 0.05). Conclusions Understanding people’s perceived health threat and efficacy is a critical step toward creating risk communication campaigns. Hence, this study provided an insight that has the potential to inform the COVID-19 risk communication campaigns targeting the educated section of the society, by ensuring a balanced combination of threat appeals and efficacy messages for improved self-protective responses.

Stigma and discrimination tendencies towards COVID-19 survivors: Evidence from a nationwide population-based survey in Ghana

“…Others also believe that COVID-19 is just a myth that does not exist in reality or is rhetorically fabricated by politicians to make money [43,44]. This chunk of misconception could be attributed to a lack of effective risk the rapid propagation of misinformation and misconception on the social media space and among the general population regarding COVID-19 [45]. As a result, they tend to discriminate or stigmatise people affected by the COVID-19 or survivors of the disease [32,46].…”

Influencing factors for public risk perception of COVID-19 ——perspective of the pandemic whole life cycle

“…In terms of individual characteristics, it is found that demographic factors including gender, age, work, and residence during the pandemic have a significant effect on risk perception. The risk perception scores of people aged 18–28 are lower than those of older respondents who have a job and have a higher level of education have significantly higher risk perception scores than other respondents [ [17] , [18] , [19] ]. Demographic factors are the main determinants of COVID-19 risk perception.…”

COVID-19 precautionary practices and associated factors among clients visiting a tertiary hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

“…However, evidence is scarce as to which of these factors contribute more to a practical adoption and adherence to such precautions. The few studies conducted previously were limited to subsets of the population, particularly health care workers [ 10 – 12 ]. This study aimed to investigate the level and factors associated with COVID-19 prevention practices among clients visiting a tertiary hospital in Addis Ababa.…”