PRACTICE OF COVID-19 PREVENTION MEASURES AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN WOGERA DISTRICT, NORTHWEST ETHIOPIA2021

Abstract

Introduction Coronavirus disease is a current health concern in the world and caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).People applying the prevention methods of coronavirus are vital determinants of reduction the spread of the coronavirus. Currently coronavirus pandemic greatly affect the socioeconomic status and associated with severe morbidity and high mortality in the elderly population and people with comorbidities. Studies have suggested that pregnant women are more susceptible to coronavirus compared to non-pregnant women. This study aimed to assess practice of COVID-19 prevention measures and associated factors among pregnant women. Objective: - To assess Practice of COVID-19 prevention measures and associated factors among pregnant women in wogera district, northwest ethiopia2021. Methods: A mixed type convergent study design was conducted from March 25-April 25 with 632 and 19 participants for the quantitative and qualitative study, respectively. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews and entered to Epi-info version 7.2 then exported to Stata version 14 for analysis. Bivariate logistic regression was done, and variables with p < 0.2 were entered multivariate logistic regression and variables that had a significant association were interpreted at p <0.05 with a 95% CI. Qualitative data were collected using in-depth interview, focused group discussion then transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Result: Among the total study participants 171(27.06%) with 95% CI (0.24-0.31) have good practice and 461(72.94%) poor practice of COVID-19 preventive measures. Being Muslim religion was 3.92 times (AOR=3.92, 95% CI= 1.50-10.26) has good practice as compared to orthodox religions. Being primary educated were 3.65 times (AOR 3.65, 95% CI=1.71-7.79), had good practice for COVID-19 as compared to unable to read and write and being College and above were 36.53(AOR=36.53 95%, CI=3.91-341.57) has best practice for COVID-19 as compared to unable to read and write. Occupational status others (daily workers) was 3.89 times (AOR=3.89, 95% CI=1.45-10.41) had a good practice for COVID-19 as compared to house wife. For qualitative study classified in to four thematic analysis and the result pregnant women not fully practice due to underestimation of the disease and they perceive the disease no entered our areas and also there is no infected person in this village and they influenced by different cultures, religious activities, living styles, social norms, poor supplies or resource and they considered the disease as punishment of GOD. Conclusion and recommendation The practice of COVID-19 preventive measures was low. Factors such as Religion, educational status, and occupational status, husband educational status were associated with good preventive practice of participants towards COVID-19 pandemic. The government fills the gap about the practice and includes stakeholders, and continuously works on media to the spread of COVID-19 to increases the preventive practice. Key words: - COVID-19, perception, preventive practice, wogera district, Ethiopia