1. Risk perceptions and attitudinal responses to COVID-19 pandemic : an online survey in Ethiopia
- Author
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Mathewos Moges, Ketema Ayele, Gudeta Imana, Yohannes Addisu, Ashenafi Belay, Adamu Kenea, Birhanu Gutu, Yimenu Yitayih, Abraham Teym, Zewdie Birhanu, Jemal Abafita, Ayinengida Adamu, Tadele Tolosa, Akalework Mengesha, Demu Tesfaye, Argaw Ambelu, Seblework Mekonen, Taffere Addis, Nega Jibat, Yohannes Kebede, Feleke Doyore, Lemessa Oljira, Temesgen Tilahun, Zinabu Hadis, Jilcha Feyisa, Mohammed Mecha, Diriba Fufa, Endale Bacha, and Ahmed Zeynudin
- Subjects
Male ,Perceived severity ,Risk perception ,Cross-sectional study ,PERCEIVED RISK ,030204 cardiovascular system & hematology ,FEAR ,Risk communication ,0302 clinical medicine ,Attitudinal response ,DESIGN ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Collective efficacy ,Female ,Public Health ,HEALTH ,Public aspects of medicine ,RA1-1270 ,Self-efficacy ,Research Article ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Efficacy ,TRANSMISSION ,Vulnerability ,CHINA ,03 medical and health sciences ,medicine ,Humans ,Pandemics ,Health threat ,Descriptive statistics ,SARS-CoV-2 ,business.industry ,Public health ,Environmental and Occupational Health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,COVID-19 ,SELF-EFFICACY ,Coronavirus ,MOTIVATORS ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Attitude ,Perception ,Residence ,Ethiopia ,Biostatistics ,Extended parallel process model ,business ,Demography - Abstract
BackgroundEffective 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.MethodsAn 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 andp-value ResultsA 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 p p ConclusionsUnderstanding 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.
- Published
- 2021