Healthcare workers’ perceptions of COVID-19 in four regions of Tanzania: A quantitative cross-sectional survey in healthcare facilities
Keywords:
Perception, Healthcare facilities, Healthcare workers, COVID-19, TanzaniaAbstract
Background: On 16 March 2020, the first COVID-19 case was reported from Mount Meru Hospital in Arusha region, a public hospital in northern Tanzania. Tanzanian Government ordered the closure of all schools and universities the next day, as well as the prohibition of all public gatherings except churches and mosques. This study was conducted to assess level of COVID-19 perception among healthcare workers in selected regions of Tanzania in order to strengthen healthcare system.
Methods: A quantitative analytical cross-sectional survey design was conducted from 24th of August to 3rdOctober involving 596 healthcare workers from Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Arusha and Dodoma regions. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 26 version was used to analyze collected data giving frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. Association between categorical variables were analyzed by using Chi-square and significant relationship observed at P-value < 0.05.
Results: Healthcare workers in the study areas had an average of 79.9% of positive perception which is moderate. About 63%, 30%, and 7% of healthcare workers holding good, moderate, and low levels of perception respectively. Four predictors (sex, field profession, level of education and region) had significant relationship with level of perception, all had P-value (P< 0.05).
Conclusion: Most of participants showed positive perception on believing that it is necessary to have regular training related to epidemics even when they do not exist and that, society can facilitate the eradication of COVID-19.
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