ABSTRACT
Background: Human behaviours have huge impact on disease prevention and how the attitudes and behaviour of security personnel in UMTH Maiduguri affect disease prevention during Covid-19 is the core of this study.
Objective: To ascertain the knowledge, attitudes, behaviour and effects of disease preventive protocols of security personnel working within University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) towards Covid-19.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study which took place from September 2020 to March 2021, approved by the Ethical Review Board of the Borno State Ministry of Health, carried out among security personnel selected through a simple random sampling technique. The data from this study was entered into Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS Statistics) soft version 29.0. The data was tested for normality; discreet variables were tested using Chi square while continuous variables were tested using either T-test or Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for parametric data and their non-parametric equivalent for non-parametric data. P- Value of less than 0.05(P< 0.05) was set as statistically significant.
Result: Total of 64 people completed the survey, 57(89.9%) males and 7(10.1%) females. The mean age is 28.1yrs, range of 42yrs, and standard deviation of 9.3yrs. The Prevalence of physical distancing, use of face mask and hand washing before and after onset of Covid-19 pandemic 49(76.6%);53(82.8%), 45(70.3%);56(87.5%), 52(81.3%); 53(82.8%). Majority have one form of misconception or the other for their non-adherent to Covid-19 protocols, there was also statistical significant improvement in the use of face mask and physical distancing when we compared before and after Covid-19 pandemic declaration with P-values of 0.023 and 0.038 respectively but no significant difference in the frequency of hand washing (P-value 0.44) and there was no major change in the level of Covid-19 related signs and symptoms before and after declaration of Covid-19 pandemic in Maiduguri.
Conclusion: The study showed a significant improvement in the attitude and behaviour of the security personnel towards Covid-19. There was still a high level of misconception of the security personnel towards Covid-19 as most respondents would rather pray over Covid-19 or visit the herbalist than seek medical care. Overall, there was some level of improvement in their preventive measures towards Covid-19.
Keywords: Behaviour, Covid-19, Disease, Pandemic, Prevention, Security.