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

Haules Robbins Zaniku (), Moses Banda Aron, Kaylin Vrkljan, Kartik Tyagi, Myness Kasanda Ndambo, Gladys Mtalimanja Banda, Revelation Nyirongo, Isaac Mphande, Bright Mailosi, George Talama, Fabien Munyaneza, Emilia Connolly, Luckson Dullie, Dale A. Barnhart and Todd Ruderman
Additional contact information
Haules Robbins Zaniku: Neno District Health Office, Ministry of Health, Neno P.O. Box 52, 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
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
Todd Ruderman: Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa za Umoyo (PIH/APZU), Neno P.O. Box 56, Malawi

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 10, 1-11

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.

Keywords: noncommunicable diseases; COVID-19 testing; COVID-19; Malawi; chronic disease (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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