COVID-19 awareness and sensitization programmes on knowledge, attitude and practice of aged persons

Abstract

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the aged persons took a dramatic turn as aged persons of over sixty years of age, were seen mostly avoiding healthcare facilities for fear of being branded as Covid-19 patients and taken to isolation centres, particularly those with an underlying health condition which further derailed the healthcare seeking behaviour of aged persons. While sensitization was driven through government channels, the misinformation overloads on the internet often skewed the awareness of individuals. It is against this background that this employed the Health Belief Model to investigate the impact of COVID-19 awareness and sensitization programmes on the knowledge, attitude, and practice of aged persons. The thematic study engaged the knowledge, attitude, and practice of aged persons to assess the impact of awareness and sensitization programmes as it relates to COVID-19. The research was conducted by examining literature concerning COVID-19 awareness and sensitization programmes. The literature was obtained through searches in publicly available materials. Literature from non-serial publications, official reports, and conferences, particularly, if they have been cited by other references in terms of COVID-19 knowledge, attitude, and practice. The study revealed the absence of sensitisation from the State that disbelieved COVID-19 and this negatively influenced perceptions of the aged persons. The study also submitted that disbelief and hesitancy fuelled by COVID-19 conspiracy theories are rife among the aged persons in such States, while the prevalence of vaccine expiration confirms skewed practices which stemmed from low COVID-19 sensitization and awareness programmes. The study recommends that government and intergovernmental organisations should facilitate more sensitization and awareness to counter conspiracy theories and myths surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Also Civil and Faith-Based organisations should be at the forefront against unwholesome attitudes and health practices on COVID-19 or outbreaks that endangered aged person