Awareness, perception and practice on COVID-19 among non-clinical healthcare workers in Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Jos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 has evolved into a pandemic. Health Care workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of infection than the general public because their occupation requires them to be in contact with persons with the disease either directly or indirectly.

Objective: To determine COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practice among non-clinical HCW in Plateau State Specialist Hospital (PSSH) Jos.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Results: Only one-fifth (21%) of participants had university education, while more than one -third (33%) had only secondary school education. More than two-third of the knowledge questions were answered correctly by the non clinical healthcare workers. The attitude of non-clinical workers was fair. Forty one percent reported that only the elderly and people with co-morbidities die from COVID-19. More than half of the participates wrongly believed that the virus cannot survive in hot weather. Of 99 participants, only 23 (23%) believed that the disease will be controlled successfully. However, more than 90% of the participates believed that they have a role to play in the fight against COVID-19. The overall practice of preventive measures among the participants was not good as less than half of the participants wore mask in the last one week to the hospital. More than one -third of them do not have a hand sanitizer and about a quarter of them do not cough or sneeze into a flexed elbow. Two of the practice measures were significantly associated with the level of education with ꭓ² and p values of 10.56 and 0.03, 12.20 and 0.02 respectively.

Conclusion: The study showed that the knowledge of non-clinical workers on COVID-19 in the hospital was good, however, the attitude and practice measures on COVID-19 was not good. Measures must be taken to educate the non-clinical HCW on the need to have good attitude and practice, to protect them from the high risk linked to their job and environment as HCW.