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COVID-19-Related Testing, Knowledge and Behaviors among Severe and Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Patients in Neno District, Malawi: A Prospective Cohort Study

Author

Listed:
  • Haules Robbins Zaniku

    (Neno District Health Office, Ministry of Health, Neno P.O. Box 52, Malawi
    School of Global and Public Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre 312225, Malawi)

  • Moses Banda Aron

    (Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa za Umoyo (PIH/APZU), Neno P.O. Box 56, Malawi)

  • Kaylin Vrkljan

    (Harvard College, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA)

  • Kartik Tyagi

    (Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Myness Kasanda Ndambo

    (Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU), Lilongwe P.O. Box 148, Malawi)

  • Gladys Mtalimanja Banda

    (Neno District Health Office, Ministry of Health, Neno P.O. Box 52, Malawi)

  • Revelation Nyirongo

    (Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa za Umoyo (PIH/APZU), Neno P.O. Box 56, Malawi)

  • Isaac Mphande

    (Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa za Umoyo (PIH/APZU), Neno P.O. Box 56, Malawi)

  • Bright Mailosi

    (Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa za Umoyo (PIH/APZU), Neno P.O. Box 56, Malawi)

  • George Talama

    (Partners in Hope, Lilongwe P.O. Box 302, Malawi)

  • Fabien Munyaneza

    (Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa za Umoyo (PIH/APZU), Neno P.O. Box 56, Malawi)

  • Emilia Connolly

    (Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa za Umoyo (PIH/APZU), Neno P.O. Box 56, Malawi
    Division of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 3230 Eden Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
    Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45529, USA)

  • Luckson Dullie

    (Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa za Umoyo (PIH/APZU), Neno P.O. Box 56, Malawi)

  • Dale A. Barnhart

    (Partners in Health/Inshuti Mu Buzima (PIH/IMB), Kigali P.O. Box 3432, Rwanda
    Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02138, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Todd Ruderman

    (Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa za Umoyo (PIH/APZU), Neno P.O. Box 56, Malawi
    These authors contributed equally to this work.
    Member names are provided in the Acknowledgements.)

Abstract

COVID-19-related knowledge and behaviors remain essential for controlling the spread of disease, especially among vulnerable patients with advanced, chronic diseases. We prospectively assessed changes over 11 months in COVID-19-related testing, knowledge, and behaviors among patients with non-communicable diseases in rural Malawi using four rounds of telephone interviews between November 2020 to October 2021. The most commonly reported COVID-19-related risks among patients included visiting health facilities (35–49%), attending mass gatherings (33–36%), and travelling outside the district (14–19%). Patients reporting having experienced COVID-like symptoms increased from 30% in December 2020 to 41% in October 2021. However, only 13% of patients had ever received a COVID-19 test by the end of the study period. Respondents answered 67–70% of the COVID-19 knowledge questions correctly, with no significant changes over time. Hand washing, wearing face masks and maintaining a safe distance were the most frequently reported strategies to prevent the spreading of COVID-19. Wearing face masks significantly improved over time ( p < 0.001). Although the majority reported accurate knowledge about COVID-19 and enhanced adherence to infection prevention measures over time, patients commonly visited locations where they could be exposed to COVID-19. Government and other stakeholders should increase COVID-19 testing accessibility to primary and secondary facilities.

Suggested Citation

  • Haules Robbins Zaniku & Moses Banda Aron & Kaylin Vrkljan & Kartik Tyagi & Myness Kasanda Ndambo & Gladys Mtalimanja Banda & Revelation Nyirongo & Isaac Mphande & Bright Mailosi & George Talama & Fabi, 2023. "COVID-19-Related Testing, Knowledge and Behaviors among Severe and Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Patients in Neno District, Malawi: A Prospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(10), pages 1-11, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:10:p:5877-:d:1150948
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    References listed on IDEAS

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