Abstract:

Given non-availability of effective therapeutics during the COVID-19 pandemic, Public health and social measures were crucial to limiting the transmission of the diseases, amongst which Masks were introduced as an intervention. The use of masks reduced transmission in medical settings, and the same results would be anticipated in communities affected by COVID-19. Compliance to the use of masks remains a challenge in many countries. A case-control study design was used to investigate factors affecting compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures. We recruited 402 respondents for the study. Out of these, 206 case respondents were selected using random numbers generated by Excel 2017, which were then matched to the line listing. The remaining 186 controls were selected based on proximity to confirmed cases. We used an interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect data. Analysis was done using Epi-Info 7 software. Out of the total respondents, a proportion of 64% (132/206) of the total cases and 45% (89/196) of the total controls (p=0.0002) believed that using masks in the previous week helped to prevent COVID-19. Amongst the male respondents, who put on masks in the past two weeks to prevent COVID-19, 66% (75/113) of them were cases and 42% (43/103) of were controls (p=0.001). We conclude that compliance with the use of masks was as a result of positive perception of the Kadoma community who believed that use of masks prevented them from getting infected by COVID 19. Availability of masks, government policies, employers’ enforcement also contributed to compliance in public places.

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