Compliance and impact of Mozambican State of Emergency on COVID-19 containment measures: a cross-sectional study in an urban setting

Abstract

The study aimed to describe responses to changes in behaviour associated with the Coronavirus containment measures, to assess the impact on behaviour related to physical activity and family incomes and to determine the association between compliance with the containment measures and social demographic variables. A cross-sectional study design was applied. Adults (n=1054) from two main cities of Mozambique were interviewed. Virtually everyone goes out frequently (99.4%), mostly to work, selling and shopping. Masks were always used (75.9%) and 91.7% declared to have increased washing hands frequently. Among those who exercise, 54.7% exercised outdoors in groups. More than half (54.9%) declared that their income was affected and physical activity was reduced for 30.1% of the subjects. From the logistic regression analysis, Males (OR=1.42), vendors (OR=2.09) and students (OR=1.97) tend to stay at home less. Predictors for not staying at home were informal business (OR=11.54), working (OR=8.83), hanging out (OR=4.76), shopping (OR=2.75) and physical activities (OR=2.73). Informal vending is the occupation more likely to lose income (OR=9.05). The strategy for preventing the spread of the coronavirus proposed worldwide found severe constraints in its application in the urban context of Mozambique.