IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i5p4529-d1087082.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perception as Predictors of COVID-19 Safety Practices of Ride-Hailing Operators in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author

Listed:
  • Ernest Agyemang

    (Department of Geography & Resource Development, College of Humanities, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 59, Ghana)

  • Joseph Awetori Yaro

    (Department of Geography & Resource Development, College of Humanities, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 59, Ghana)

Abstract

Since its outbreak, health authorities have launched vigorous COVID-19 health promotion campaigns. This study assesses ride-hailing operators’ COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Ghana, with the aim of engendering precautionary behaviour among the populace. A complementary mixed methods approach was adopted. This involved a cross-sectional survey of 1014 participants who were also allowed to share their COVID-19-related lived experiences qualitatively after successfully completing the survey. The aggregate correct knowledge score was 84%. Most respondents were frightful of the virus (96%), but the majority had faith in the COVID-19 protocols (87%). Thus, most participants reported high use of face masks (95%) and practise personal hygiene (92%). However, social media misinformation and the subsequent complacency have dissuaded some participants from complying with the safety protocols. The qualitative data also show evidence of high susceptibility to COVID-19. The perceived benefits of safe behaviour, including masking up, were equally high among drivers surveyed, albeit barriers to preventative behaviours remain rife. Therefore, this study emphasises the importance of sustaining and improving public awareness by highlighting the susceptibility of all demographic groups to the virus and the need to counteract misinformation on social media.

Suggested Citation

  • Ernest Agyemang & Joseph Awetori Yaro, 2023. "Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perception as Predictors of COVID-19 Safety Practices of Ride-Hailing Operators in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-21, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4529-:d:1087082
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4529/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4529/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Du Huynh, 2020. "Ho Chi Minh City," SpringerBriefs in Regional Science, in: Making Megacities in Asia, chapter 0, pages 87-112, Springer.
    2. Asif Afzal & Javed Khan Bhutto & Abdulrahman Alrobaian & Abdul Razak Kaladgi & Sher Afghan Khan, 2021. "Modelling and Computational Experiment to Obtain Optimized Neural Network for Battery Thermal Management Data," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-19, November.
    3. Nour Ammar & Nourhan M Aly & Morenike O Folayan & Yousef Khader & Jorma I Virtanen & Ola B Al-Batayneh & Simin Z Mohebbi & Sameh Attia & Hans-Peter Howaldt & Sebastian Boettger & Diah A Maharani & Ant, 2020. "Behavior change due to COVID-19 among dental academics—The theory of planned behavior: Stresses, worries, training, and pandemic severity," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(9), pages 1-13, September.
    4. Yu-Shan Tai & Hao-Jan Yang, 2022. "Factors That Prevent Mosquito-Borne Diseases among Migrant Workers in Taiwan: Application of the Health Belief Model in a Church-Based Health Promotion Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-11, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sylvester Kyei-Gyamfi & Zita Kyei-Gyamfi, 2023. "Knowledge and sources of information on COVID-19 among children in Ghana," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-8, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shamima Akter & Shafia Shaheen, 2021. "Risk perception and the practices towards covid-19 among the garment workers in Bangladesh," Journal of Community Positive Practices, Catalactica NGO, issue 4, pages 61-85.
    2. Haules Robbins Zaniku & Moses Banda Aron & Kaylin Vrkljan & Kartik Tyagi & Myness Kasanda Ndambo & Gladys Mtalimanja Banda & Revelation Nyirongo & Isaac Mphande & Bright Mailosi & George Talama & Fabi, 2023. "COVID-19-Related Testing, Knowledge and Behaviors among Severe and Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Patients in Neno District, Malawi: A Prospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(10), pages 1-11, May.
    3. Nhung Thi Tuyet Pham & Cuong Huu Nguyen & Huong Thi Pham & Hien Thi Thu Ta, 2022. "Internal Quality Assurance of Academic Programs: A Case Study in Vietnamese Higher Education," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(4), pages 21582440221, December.
    4. Mohamed Abdel-Basset & Reda Mohamed & Attia El-Fergany & Mohamed Abouhawwash & S. S. Askar, 2021. "Parameters Identification of PV Triple-Diode Model Using Improved Generalized Normal Distribution Algorithm," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-23, April.
    5. Juan Carlos Vesga Ferreira & Faver Adrian Amorocho Sepulveda & Harold Esneider Perez Waltero, 2024. "Smart Ecological Points, a Strategy to Face the New Challenges in Solid Waste Management in Colombia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-20, June.
    6. Huong Thi Trinh & Burra D. Dhar & Michel Simioni & Stef de Haan & Tuyen Thi Thanh Huynh & Tung V. Huynh & Andrew D. Jones, 2020. "Supermarkets and household food acquisition patterns in Vietnam in relation to population demographics and socioeconomic strata: insights from public data," Post-Print hal-02624928, HAL.
    7. Rajib Mahamud & Chanwoo Park, 2022. "Theory and Practices of Li-Ion Battery Thermal Management for Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-45, May.
    8. Kai Huang & Huan Lei & Zeyu Jiao & Zhenyu Zhong, 2021. "Recycling Waste Classification Using Vision Transformer on Portable Device," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-14, October.
    9. Alessandra Impellizzeri & Maddalena Dilucca & Francesca Squillace & Rosanna Guarnieri & Antonella Polimeni & Gabriella Galluccio, 2021. "Psychological and Physical Distress in Italian People during COVID-19 Pandemic: One Year Later," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-8, November.
    10. Onesmus Kamacooko & Jonathan Kitonsa & Ubaldo M. Bahemuka & Freddie M. Kibengo & Anne Wajja & Vincent Basajja & Alfred Lumala & Ayoub Kakande & Paddy Kafeero & Edward Ssemwanga & Robert Asaba & Joseph, 2021. "Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding COVID-19 among Healthcare Workers in Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-12, June.
    11. Koki Tachibana & Yugo Nakamura & Yuki Matsuda & Hirohiko Suwa & Keiichi Yasumoto, 2023. "ACOGARE: Acoustic-Based Litter Garbage Recognition Utilizing Smartwatch," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, June.
    12. Hsin-Ling Lee & Kerry S. Wilson & Colleen Bernstein & Nisha Naicker & Annalee Yassi & Jerry M. Spiegel, 2022. "Psychological Distress in South African Healthcare Workers Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis of Associations and Mitigating Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-20, August.
    13. Richard B. Yapi & Clarisse A. Houngbedji & Daniel K.G. N’Guessan & Arlette O. Dindé & Aimé R. Sanhoun & Ariane Amin & Kossia D.T. Gboko & Kathrin Heitz-Tokpa & Gilbert Fokou & Bassirou Bonfoh, 2021. "Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) Regarding the COVID-19 Outbreak in Côte d’Ivoire: Understanding the Non-Compliance of Populations with Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-21, April.
    14. Norhayati Mohd Noor & Ruhana Che Yusof & Mohd Azman Yacob, 2021. "Anxiety in Frontline and Non-Frontline Healthcare Providers in Kelantan, Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-10, January.
    15. Reem Al-Dossary & Majed Alamri & Hamdan Albaqawi & Khaled Al Hosis & Mohammed Aljeldah & Mohammed Aljohan & Khalid Aljohani & Noura Almadani & Bader Alrasheadi & Rawaih Falatah & Joseph Almazan, 2020. "Awareness, Attitudes, Prevention, and Perceptions of COVID-19 Outbreak among Nurses in Saudi Arabia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-16, November.
    16. Giao, Ha Nam Khanh & Ngan, Nguyen Thi Kim & Phuc, Nguyen Pham Hanh & Tuan, Huynh Quoc & Hong, Ha Kim & Anh, Huynh Diep Tram & Nhu, Duong Thi Huynh & Lan, Ngo Thi, 2020. "How Destination Image Factors Affect Domestic Tourists Revisit Intention to Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, Vietnam," OSF Preprints cft6e, Center for Open Science.
    17. Xiaoyu Wang & Yushuang Liu & Jin Ye, 2024. "Blended Teaching Innovation and Social Anxiety: A Case Study at Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry University’s School of Foreign Languages," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(3), pages 13574-13600, September.
    18. Caterina Rizzo & Ilaria Campagna & Elisabetta Pandolfi & Ileana Croci & Luisa Russo & Sara Ciampini & Francesco Gesualdo & Alberto Eugenio Tozzi & Lara Ricotta & Massimiliano Raponi & Marta Luisa Ciof, 2021. "Knowledge and Perception of COVID-19 Pandemic during the First Wave (Feb–May 2020): A Cross-Sectional Study among Italian Healthcare Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-14, April.
    19. Nour Ammar & Nourhan M. Aly & Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan & Yousef Khader & Simin Z. Mohebbi & Sameh Attia & Hans-Peter Howaldt & Sebastian Boettger & Jorma Virtanen & Marwa Madi & Diah A. Maharani & , 2021. "Perceived Preparedness of Dental Academic Institutions to Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multi-Country Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-15, February.
    20. Maria Sarapultseva & Alena Zolotareva & Igor Kritsky & Natal’ya Nasretdinova & Alexey Sarapultsev, 2021. "Psychological Distress and Post-Traumatic Symptomatology among Dental Healthcare Workers in Russia: Results of a Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-12, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4529-:d:1087082. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.