Beliefs and Perceptions about COVID-19 among Students of a Higher Institution in South-western Nigeria

Abstract

The on-going coronavirus disease outbreak is arguably one of the greatest public health challenges of our time. Being a novel disease discovered in December 2019, little is known about it. This study examines the beliefs and perception on coronavirus disease among students of an institution of higher learning in Southwest Nigeria. Two hundred and sixty (260) students were selected through a two-staged non-probability sampling method for the study. Data was collected using structured questionnaire which tested the general knowledge of respondents on the subject as well as their beliefs and perception about the disease. Even though 90.0%) of the participants have heard of Coronavirus as a pathogen, their knowledge of the associated disease was fair on the average due to misconceived notions probably because information was sourced majorly from unconfirmed sources such as word of mouth from family members (56.5%), print media (56.2%), social media (51.2%), television (50.0%), and to a lesser extent from school (43.1%), health talk (42.7%), hospital (35.8%), over the radio (30.8%) as well as posters and billboards (24.2%). These misconceived notions, despite their level of education, include but not limited to claims that disease can be transmitted through mosquito bite (33,5%) and believing that it is a consequence of man's sin (48.1%). Some doubt its existence (28.8%) while a sizeable number believes they cannot be infected (44.2%) and peradventure if infected, prayer and fasting can cure it (44.2%). We therefore advocates for an intense public enlightenment campaign.