Accessing Healthcare Services during Lockdown in an African Semi-urban Community: Influence of the Knowledge of COVID-19
Felix Olaniyi Sanni *
Department of Research and Development, Fescosof Data Solutions, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Paul Olaiya Abiodun
Department of Public Health, Texila American University, Guyana, South America.
Oluwasola Stephen Ayosanmi
Department of Pharmacy, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Rd, Saskatoon, Canada.
Abike Elizabeth Sanni
Department of Research and Development, Fescosof Data Solutions, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Friday Iyabosa Igbinovia
Department of Public Health, Texila American University, Guyana, South America.
Oriyomi Nimotalai Karimu
Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Azeezat Abimbola Oyewande
Department of Family Medicine, Lagos State Health Service Commission, Lagos, Nigeria.
Michael Ogunmola Dada
Department of Quality & Compliance, Medbury Medical Services, 7B, Admiralty Road, Lekki Lagos, Nigeria.
Zachary Terna Gwa
Department of Public Health, Texila American University, Guyana, South America.
Olaniran Olakunle Daniel
Ports Inspection Directorate, National Agency for food and Drug Administration and Control, Nigeria.
Chidinma Udah
Department of Paediatrics Federal Medical Centre Owerri, Nigeria.
Olaide Lateef Afelumo
Department of Public Health, Texila American University, Guyana, South America.
Michael Olabode Tomori
Department of Public Health, Texila American University, Guyana, South America.
Abimbola Oluseyi Ariyo
Department of Clinical Services: Institution of APIN Public Health Initiatives, Nigeria.
Bartholomew Boniface Ochonye
Department of Leadership and Administration, Heartland Alliance International, Abuja Nigeria.
Innocent Okwose
HSE Specialist, Loughborough University, England.
Ishata Conteh
Department of Public Health, Texila American University, Guyana, South America.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: Since the covid-19 pandemic began, prevention and treatment services for non-communicable diseases have been significantly interrupted. This study assessed the influence of COVID-19 knowledge on using healthcare services during the lockdown in Nigeria.
Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted in Ado-Odo Ota, local government areas, Ogun State, Nigeria using a structured questionnaire between January and February 2021. A multistage probability sampling technique was employed to collect data from 383 adults aged 20 – 60 years and the data were analyzed using IBM-SPSS version 25.0.
Results: Although all respondents (100.0%) have heard of COVID-19, only 52.2% believed it was real. The respondents displayed poor overall knowledge of COVID-19 as only 32.1% were knowledgeable about it. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 44.9% said they visited hospitals for treatment compared to 16.2% during the lockdown. The reasons for not using hospitals include the fear of taking a COVID-19 patient (38.4%) and buying medicines from pharmacies (33.9%). Those who used herbs constituted 20.6%, 15.4% could not afford service charges, 12.0% would pray or use spiritual materials instead, and 7.3% were afraid of being infected with the disease. Only 17.9% of those knowledgeable about COVID-19 would go to the hospital during the lockdown.
Conclusion: Healthcare workers and the masses should be adequately trained on healthcare management during pandemics to avoid misconceptions about COVID-19. This will help improve access to healthcare services and promote wellbeing among the low-resource setting populations.
Keywords: COVID-19, healthcare services, lockdown, pandemic