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Original Research
COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes and practices in Thabo Mofutsanyana District, South Africa, 2022
Submitted: 13 November 2024 | Published: 19 June 2025
About the author(s)
Inge Kleinhans, Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; and Department of Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South AfricaSiphesihle K. Mahanjana, Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; and Department of Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa
Lehlohonolo Kumalo, Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
Brian Brümmer, Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
Ashley Chitaka, Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
Zandile D. Nukeri, Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
Fiona Els, Centre for Vaccines and Immunology, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; and Gauteng City-Region Observatory, Johannesburg, South Africa
Sizeka Mashele, National Cancer Registry, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; and Society, Gender and Health Unit, Faculty of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwill, Switzerland; and Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Michelle Groome, Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Natalie Mayet, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
Ramasedi S. Mokoena, Department of Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Emily B. Atuheire, Division of Surveillance and Disease Intelligence, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Joy I. Ebonwu, Division of Surveillance and Disease Intelligence, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Abstract
Background: Adherence to COVID-19 prevention and control measures is related to people’s knowledge, attitudes and practices.
Setting: In Thabo Mofutsanyana District, the proportion of reported community COVID-19-related deaths was higher than in-facility reported deaths.
Aim: To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of the community towards COVID-19.
Methods: A survey was conducted among consenting adults from 28 February 2022 to 4 March 2022. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the responses and logistic regression used to assess factors associated with poor knowledge towards COVID-19.
Results: A total of 551 participants’ data were analysed, most of whom were < 40 years (63%) and female (68%). Despite 43.4% having education levels below high school, 89% knew that anyone could contract COVID-19, mainly through television and/or radio (74%) and social media (53%). The majority practiced mask-wearing (84%) and social distancing (80%), while 65% indicated they will use home remedies if there was severe COVID-19 infection. Older age group (OR = 2.40; 95% CI 1.17-4.89; p = 0.015), higher education level (OR = 0.59; 95% CI 0.39–0.87; p = 0.009) and higher monthly income were each associated with poor knowledge towards COVID-19 but the significance did not remain in multivariate model.
Conclusion: Participants had good knowledge of COVID-19; however, a high proportion supported the use of home remedies in severe COVID-19 infections. This underscores the need to enhance the health-seeking behaviour of communities through health education and community engagement, using television and/or radio and social media.
Contribution: Study findings are useful to inform preparedness and response strategies in communities.
Keywords
Sustainable Development Goal
Metrics
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