Misconceptions and associated factors of COVID-19 infection among internally displaced persons in Sudan

Mohammed Abdelmalik; Mohamed Beraima; Hammad Ali Fadlalmola; Abdalbasit Adam Mariod; Huda Masaad; Mohammed Ahmed; Mohammead Mohammead; Almoez Mohammed; Awad  Fadlalla; Eltaggi Rahama; Ibrahim Abbakr; Abdalrahman Saeed; Binyameen  Sambu

doi:10.4081/jphia.2022.2051

Authors

Mohammed Abdelmalik
mohammedabdelkrim9@gmail.com
College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3161-8351
Mohamed Beraima Alghad International Colleges for Applied Medical Science, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Hammad Ali Fadlalmola Taibah University, College of Nursing, Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
Abdalbasit Adam Mariod College of Sciences and Arts- Alkamil, University of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Huda Masaad Applied Medical Science College, Hafr Albatin University, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed Ahmed Erada Complex for Mental Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammead Mohammead College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia.
Almoez Mohammed College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0010-5932
Awad Fadlalla College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia.
Eltaggi Rahama Faculty of Nursing Sciences, University of El Imam El Mahdi, Kosti, Sudan.
Ibrahim Abbakr College of Nursing, Department of Nursing Practice, Umm al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8505-7449
Abdalrahman Saeed College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4209-5752
Binyameen Sambu College of Nursing, Psychiatric Department, Umm al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global public health threat that has spread rapidly and caused morbidity and mortality worldwide. Reducing the myths about infectious diseases is vital for controlling transmission. This study explored the level of misconceptions and associated factors of COVID-19 among internally displaced persons in Sudan. This study is a cross-sectional, descriptive design and community-based study. We collected the data using a self-administered questionnaire via the convenience sampling technique among internally displaced persons in the camps of Zalingei town in the central Darfur region of Sudan. The total mean score of the respondents’ misconception was 3.1725 (SD=0.59) with 63.2%, indicating moderate misunderstanding of COVID-19. Multiple linear regression revealed the independent variables together had a significant impact on a misconception, F(14,116)=2.429, p<0.005. The regression model explains 22.7% of the variance in misunderstanding. Analysis of the influence of single factors on the dependent variable showed that people aged 31–40 years had significantly higher levels of misconception, 0.381 (t=2.116, p<0.037), than those aged over 60 years, and university graduates had considerably lower levels of misunderstanding, −0.061 (t=−2.091, p<0.03) than non-graduates. This study found a moderate level of misconception of COVID-19. Non-graduates had higher levels of misunderstanding than graduates. The results suggest that an education campaign should focus on people with low levels of education to correct their misconceptions regarding the prevention of COVID-19 infection.

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Abdelmalik, M., Beraima, M., Fadlalmola, H. A., Mariod, A. A., Masaad, H., Ahmed, M., Mohammead, M., Mohammed, A., Fadlalla, A., Rahama, E., Abbakr, I., Saeed, A., & Sambu, B. (2022). Misconceptions and associated factors of COVID-19 infection among internally displaced persons in Sudan. Journal of Public Health in Africa, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2022.2051

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Copyright (c) 2022 Mohammed Abdelmalik, Mohamed Beraima, Hammad Ali Fadlalmola, Abdalbasit Adam Mariod, Huda Masaad, Mohammed Ahmed, Mohammead Mohammead, Almoez Mohammed, Awad Fadlalla, Eltaggi Rahama, Ibrahim Abbakr, Abdalrahman Saeed, Binyameen Sambu