Adherence to COVID‐19 preventive measures and associated factors among pregnant women in Ghana

Apanga, Paschal Awingura; Kumbeni, Maxwell Tii

OBJECTIVE: To assess adherence to COVID‐19 preventive measures and its associated factors among pregnant women in Ghana. METHODS: This was a cross‐sectional study conducted in the Nabdam district, Ghana. Data were collected from 527 pregnant women randomly selected from antenatal care clinics from 16 healthcare facilities. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the prevalence of adherence to COVID‐19 preventive measures. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the factors associated with COVID‐19 preventive measures, whilst adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: The prevalence of wearing a face mask 18.0% (95% CI: 14.73%, 21.32%); of handwashing/hand sanitising 31.7% (95% CI: 27.70%, 35.67%), and of social distancing, 22.0% (95% CI: 18.46%, 25.56%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that knowledge of COVID‐19 symptoms [Adjusted odds ratios (aOR): 2.86, 95% CI: 1.03, 7.89] and knowledge of COVID‐19 transmission via contaminated surfaces/objects (aOR: 4.60, 95% CI: 1.23, 17.18) were associated with wearing a face mask. Pregnant women who knew that avoiding the touching of eyes, nose and mouth can prevent COVID‐19 (aOR: 2.71, 95% CI: 1.01, 7.28), and knowledge of the virus being transmitted via contaminated objects/surfaces (aOR: 4.08, 95% CI: 1.42, 11.76), were associated with handwashing/hand sanitising. Knowledge of COVID‐19 transmission via contaminated surfaces/objects (aOR: 15.27, 95% CI: 1.87, 124.43) was also associated with social distancing. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study suggest that knowledge of COVID‐19 symptoms, transmission and preventive measures may play an important role in the practice of preventive measures against COVID‐19 among pregnant women.