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Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Populations Towards Barrier and Preventive Measures Against COVID-19 in Two Cities in Cameroon

Received: 25 May 2021     Accepted: 7 June 2021     Published: 5 August 2021
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Abstract

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the first reported case in sub Saharan Africa, countries have struggled to respond to the pandemic despite all the barrier measures and preventions strategies put in place; amongst them, Cameroon is characterized by a large amount of contamination and an increase in death rates. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) of the Cameroonian population on barrier and preventive measures against COVID-19; the first undertaken in the cities of Douala and Bangangté since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 777 residents in the Littoral (Douala) and in the West (Banganté) regions of Cameroon from a structured, pre-tested and self-administered questionnaire (according to WHO guidelines). Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 18.0 software. For p=0.05, the difference was statistically significant. Out of 777 participants, 67.7% (n=526) were from Douala and 32.3% (n=251) from Bangangté. Seventy percent (70%) of our participants were aware of the main preventive measures against COVID-19 taken by the Cameroonian government. The most used preventive method was the practice of hand hygiene (88.9%); followed by social distancing (87.2%), respiratory hygiene (75.8%), and self-confinement (85.3%). The majority of our participants had a positive attitude towards hand hygiene (81.6%) and wearing a face mask (84.7%). About 52.9% wore a face mask occasionally, 66.67% always washed their hands, 53.1% always used a hand sanitizer to disinfect their hands and 65,4% regularly self-confined themselves homes. Improving behaviors / attitudes and practices remain a major challenge for our populations. It is important to integrate the community in decision-making and increase awareness among our populations. Further studies are required to assess the impact of strategies undertaken by the decision makers, to roll out the COVID-19 pandemic in Cameroon.

Published in World Journal of Public Health (Volume 6, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.wjph.20210603.13
Page(s) 89-98
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, Barrier and Preventive Measures, COVID-19

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Cécile Ingrid Djuikoue, Elodie Ngazoue, Gildas Tazemda, Rodrigue Kamga Wouambo, Agbor Michael Ashu, et al. (2021). Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Populations Towards Barrier and Preventive Measures Against COVID-19 in Two Cities in Cameroon. World Journal of Public Health, 6(3), 89-98. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20210603.13

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    ACS Style

    Cécile Ingrid Djuikoue; Elodie Ngazoue; Gildas Tazemda; Rodrigue Kamga Wouambo; Agbor Michael Ashu, et al. Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Populations Towards Barrier and Preventive Measures Against COVID-19 in Two Cities in Cameroon. World J. Public Health 2021, 6(3), 89-98. doi: 10.11648/j.wjph.20210603.13

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    AMA Style

    Cécile Ingrid Djuikoue, Elodie Ngazoue, Gildas Tazemda, Rodrigue Kamga Wouambo, Agbor Michael Ashu, et al. Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Populations Towards Barrier and Preventive Measures Against COVID-19 in Two Cities in Cameroon. World J Public Health. 2021;6(3):89-98. doi: 10.11648/j.wjph.20210603.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.wjph.20210603.13,
      author = {Cécile Ingrid Djuikoue and Elodie Ngazoue and Gildas Tazemda and Rodrigue Kamga Wouambo and Agbor Michael Ashu and Mariella Leumi and Esemu Livo and Héritier Malengele Mawalala and Yvonne Valérie Yolande Voumbo Matoumona Mavoungou and Aliocha Natuhoyila Nkodila and Eugène Ndebia and Nombulelo Chitha and Wezile Chita and John Sungwacha Nasila and Omer Tchikamgoua Njajou and Venant Tchokonte-Nana and Benjamin Longo-Mbenza and Charles Awono Onana},
      title = {Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Populations Towards Barrier and Preventive Measures Against COVID-19 in Two Cities in Cameroon},
      journal = {World Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {6},
      number = {3},
      pages = {89-98},
      doi = {10.11648/j.wjph.20210603.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20210603.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjph.20210603.13},
      abstract = {Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the first reported case in sub Saharan Africa, countries have struggled to respond to the pandemic despite all the barrier measures and preventions strategies put in place; amongst them, Cameroon is characterized by a large amount of contamination and an increase in death rates. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) of the Cameroonian population on barrier and preventive measures against COVID-19; the first undertaken in the cities of Douala and Bangangté since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 777 residents in the Littoral (Douala) and in the West (Banganté) regions of Cameroon from a structured, pre-tested and self-administered questionnaire (according to WHO guidelines). Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 18.0 software. For p=0.05, the difference was statistically significant. Out of 777 participants, 67.7% (n=526) were from Douala and 32.3% (n=251) from Bangangté. Seventy percent (70%) of our participants were aware of the main preventive measures against COVID-19 taken by the Cameroonian government. The most used preventive method was the practice of hand hygiene (88.9%); followed by social distancing (87.2%), respiratory hygiene (75.8%), and self-confinement (85.3%). The majority of our participants had a positive attitude towards hand hygiene (81.6%) and wearing a face mask (84.7%). About 52.9% wore a face mask occasionally, 66.67% always washed their hands, 53.1% always used a hand sanitizer to disinfect their hands and 65,4% regularly self-confined themselves homes. Improving behaviors / attitudes and practices remain a major challenge for our populations. It is important to integrate the community in decision-making and increase awareness among our populations. Further studies are required to assess the impact of strategies undertaken by the decision makers, to roll out the COVID-19 pandemic in Cameroon.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Populations Towards Barrier and Preventive Measures Against COVID-19 in Two Cities in Cameroon
    AU  - Cécile Ingrid Djuikoue
    AU  - Elodie Ngazoue
    AU  - Gildas Tazemda
    AU  - Rodrigue Kamga Wouambo
    AU  - Agbor Michael Ashu
    AU  - Mariella Leumi
    AU  - Esemu Livo
    AU  - Héritier Malengele Mawalala
    AU  - Yvonne Valérie Yolande Voumbo Matoumona Mavoungou
    AU  - Aliocha Natuhoyila Nkodila
    AU  - Eugène Ndebia
    AU  - Nombulelo Chitha
    AU  - Wezile Chita
    AU  - John Sungwacha Nasila
    AU  - Omer Tchikamgoua Njajou
    AU  - Venant Tchokonte-Nana
    AU  - Benjamin Longo-Mbenza
    AU  - Charles Awono Onana
    Y1  - 2021/08/05
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20210603.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.wjph.20210603.13
    T2  - World Journal of Public Health
    JF  - World Journal of Public Health
    JO  - World Journal of Public Health
    SP  - 89
    EP  - 98
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2637-6059
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20210603.13
    AB  - Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the first reported case in sub Saharan Africa, countries have struggled to respond to the pandemic despite all the barrier measures and preventions strategies put in place; amongst them, Cameroon is characterized by a large amount of contamination and an increase in death rates. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) of the Cameroonian population on barrier and preventive measures against COVID-19; the first undertaken in the cities of Douala and Bangangté since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 777 residents in the Littoral (Douala) and in the West (Banganté) regions of Cameroon from a structured, pre-tested and self-administered questionnaire (according to WHO guidelines). Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 18.0 software. For p=0.05, the difference was statistically significant. Out of 777 participants, 67.7% (n=526) were from Douala and 32.3% (n=251) from Bangangté. Seventy percent (70%) of our participants were aware of the main preventive measures against COVID-19 taken by the Cameroonian government. The most used preventive method was the practice of hand hygiene (88.9%); followed by social distancing (87.2%), respiratory hygiene (75.8%), and self-confinement (85.3%). The majority of our participants had a positive attitude towards hand hygiene (81.6%) and wearing a face mask (84.7%). About 52.9% wore a face mask occasionally, 66.67% always washed their hands, 53.1% always used a hand sanitizer to disinfect their hands and 65,4% regularly self-confined themselves homes. Improving behaviors / attitudes and practices remain a major challenge for our populations. It is important to integrate the community in decision-making and increase awareness among our populations. Further studies are required to assess the impact of strategies undertaken by the decision makers, to roll out the COVID-19 pandemic in Cameroon.
    VL  - 6
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Faculty of Health Sciences, University des Montagnes, Bangangte, Cameroon

  • Department of Microbiology, Estuary Academy and Strategic Institute (IUEs/ INSAM),Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Health Sciences, University des Montagnes, Bangangte, Cameroon

  • Prevention and Control Foundation, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Health Sciences, University des Montagnes, Bangangte, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Health Sciences, University des Montagnes, Bangangte, Cameroon

  • Center for Research in Emerging and Reemerging Diseases, Institute for Medical Research and Medical Plants Studies, yaounde, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Public Health, LOMO University of Reseach, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

  • Faculty of Health Sciences, University Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo

  • Faculty of Public Health, LOMO University of Reseach, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

  • Faculty of Health Sciences Walter Sisulu University, Eastern Cape, Mthatha, South of Africa

  • Health Systems Enablement & Innovation Unit, University of the Witwaterstand, Johannesburg, South of Africa

  • Health Systems Enablement & Innovation Unit, University of the Witwaterstand, Johannesburg, South of Africa

  • Health Systems Enablement & Innovation Unit, University of the Witwaterstand, Johannesburg, South of Africa

  • Prevention and Control Foundation, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Health Sciences, University des Montagnes, Bangangte, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Public Health, LOMO University of Reseach, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

  • Faculty of Health Sciences, University des Montagnes, Bangangte, Cameroon

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