Health Workers and Coronavirus Disease Pandemic: Knowledge, Attitude and Effects in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Background: There are reports of the spread of the novel COVID-19 to Africa, Nigeria, and some cases in Rivers State. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitude and effects of the coronavirus disease pandemic on hospital staff in the month of May to June 2020.

Methodology: The convenience sampling method was used to recruit 297 hospital staff in a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out using semi-structured questionnaires in a tertiary healthcare facility. Data obtained was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0.

Results: Two hundred and sixty-two respondents (88.2%) had prior knowledge of coronavirus, and 228 (76.8%) got their information from Television/Radio/Newspapers. Two hundred and fifty-one (84.5%) respondents described COVID-19 pandemic as a disease caused by an imported germ. Regardless of the fear/panic of the COVID-19 pandemic, 230 (77.4%) of the respondents indicated that they would continue to visit their sick relative in the hospital. The COVID-19 pandemic moderately affected the family life of 110 (37.0%) respondents, while 68 (12.5%) were devastated by it. The means of livelihood was moderately affected in 76 (25.6%) respondents, and 43 (14.5%) devastated by it.

Conclusion: The negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic was experienced significantly in varied proportions – moderately, severely, and in devastating manner.