Practice of COVID-19 preventive measures and its associated factors among students in Ghana

Abstract

Preventive measures are key to reducing COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Our primary aim was to assess factors associated with practice of COVID-19 preventive measures among senior high school students in the Bawku Municipality, Ghana. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and data on 624 students were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. An estimated 31.5% (95% CI: 27.8, 35.1) of the students wore a face mask often or always. Students who reported that COVID-19 can be transmitted via droplets from the nose or mouth (adjusted odds ratios [aOR]: 3.0; 95% CI: 1.1, 7.9) and students who reported that asymptomatic persons can transmit the virus (aOR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.2, 3.6) had higher odds of wearing a face mask. However, students who reported that COVID-19 was not deadly were associated with lower odds of wearing a face mask (aOR: 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4, 1.0). Handwashing/hand sanitizing was practiced by 49.5% (95% CI: 45.6, 53.5) of students. Students in the technical program compared to the science program (aOR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2, 0.8) and those who reported that COVID-19 was not deadly (aOR: 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4, 1.0) had lower odds of handwashing/hand sanitizing. An estimated 46.2% (95% CI: 42.3, 50.2) of students practiced social distancing. Students who reported that COVID-19 can be transmitted via droplets from the nose or mouth were positively associated with social distancing (aOR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.0, 4.5). There is the need to intensify education about COVID-19 in senior high schools while enforcing the practice of COVID-19 preventive measures.