A cross-sectional study on socio-ecological and socio-anthropological determinants of COVID-19 in Lusaka Province of Zambia
Keywords:
Anthropological, COVID-19, Ecological, Lusaka
Abstract
The COVID-19 disease constitutes a pandemic that has created an international public health emergency. Besides the significant health challenges, the impact of the COVID-19 disease has been the restriction of movements that have heavily affected the global economy. The first case of COVID-19 in Zambia was identified on March 18th, 2020. By the end of November 2020, the number of districts reporting COVID-19 infections had increased from 68 to 96, with reports of the highest transmission in the capital city, Lusaka, the Copperbelt, and Ndola districts. As COVID-19 spread across the nation of Zambia, several factors are responsible for the spread of the virus. Despite the extensive collection of research done on determinants of COVID-19 disease, the spatial distribution of the disease along socio-demographical and socio- ecological domains remains speculative and infectious diseases have been less looked into in the areas of anthropological dynamics. This study used a cross-sectional design to investigate the ecological and anthropological determinants of COVID-19 disease in four compounds in the Lusaka district of Zambia. A guided questionnaire was used to collect data from 301 participants. A descriptive analysis of all independent variables was done. Analysis for associations of dependent and independent variables and multivariate analysis of the independent variables significant at the bi-variate level was conducted to investigate the association between the dependent variable (Knowledge of anyone infected with COVID-19 virus) and the independent variables. The bi-variate analysis results showed that 14 independent variables with odds ratios greater than one were significantly associated with the spread of COVID-19. Two variables were found to be highly significant in the multivariable logistic regression analysis model. These included beliefs about COVID-19 (odds = 3.0; p = 0.003; CI 1.2-3.3), and participants area of residence (odds = 2.6; p = 0.003; CI = 1.2-5.5). Other significant multivariate variables were ecological variable; climate and anthropological variables; hand hygienic practices. The current research provides further insight into the potential role ecology and anthropology contribute to the spread of communicable diseases. The study recommends awareness of the population to enhance preparedness and response to reduce the spread of COVID-19.References
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19. Kejela T. Probable Factors Contributing to the Fast Spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ethiopia. J Infect Dis Epidemiol. 2020;6:169. . https://doi.org/10.23937/2474-3658/1510169.
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21. Krejcie RV, Morgan DW. Determining sample size for research activities. EducPsycholMeas Sep;30(3):607 10. https://doi.org/10.1177/001316447003000308.
22. Greenhalgh T. Cultural contexts of health: narrative research in the health sector. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe; 2016. [internet] Visited on May 23, 2021.
23. Akalu Y, Ayelign B, Molla MD. Knowledge, attitude and practice towards COVID-19 among chronic disease patients at Addis Zemen Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. Infect Drug Resist. 2020;13:1949. https://doi.org/10.2147/IDR.S258736.
24. Verbunt E, Luke J, Paradies Y, Bamblett M, Salamone C, Jones A, et al. Cultural determinants of health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people–a narrative overview of reviews. Int. J. Equity Health. 2021 Dec;20(1):1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01514-2.
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34. Attema AE, L’haridon O, Raude J, Seror V, Peretti-Watel P, Cortaredona S, et al. Beliefs and risk perceptions about COVID-19: evidence from two successive French representative surveys during Lockdown. Front. Psychol. 2021 Feb 1;12:72.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.619145.
35. Aziz AM. Hand hygiene and stopping the spread of COVID-19. J.P.P. 2020 June 2;12(6):1-7.https://doi.org/10.12968/jpar.2020.12.6.CPD1.
36. Beale S, Johnson AM, Zambon M, Group FW, Hayward AC, Fragaszy EB. Hand hygiene practices and the risk of human coronavirus infections in a U.K. community cohort. Wellcome Open Res. 2020;5. https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15796.2.
37. Rader B, Scarpino SV, Nande A, Hill AL, Adlam B, Reiner RC, et al. Crowding and the shape of COVID-19 epidemics. Nat. Med. 2020 Dec;26(12):1829-34. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-1104-0.
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39. Fisher KA, Bloomstone SJ, Walder J, Crawford S, Fouayzi H, Mazor KM. Attitudes toward a potential SARS-CoV-2 vaccine: a survey of U.S. adults. Ann. Intern. Med. 2020 Dec 15;173(12):964-73.https://doi.org/10.7326/M20-3569.
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41. World Health Organization, 2020. Modes of transmission of virus causing COVID-19: implications for I.P.C. precaution recommendations: scientific brief, March 29 2020 (No. WHO/2019-nCoV/Sci_Brief/Transmission_modes/2020.2). Visited on May 23, 2021.
Published
2022-09-28
How to Cite
1.
Fonchin A, Mumba C, Basikolo L, Kallu S, Kainga H, Mwiinde J, Benhard V, Muma J, Munyeme M. A cross-sectional study on socio-ecological and socio-anthropological determinants of COVID-19 in Lusaka Province of Zambia. Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences [Internet]. 28Sep.2022 [cited 4Dec.2024];6(1). Available from: https://mines.unza.zm/index.php/JABS/article/view/798
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