ABSTRACT
The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a tremendous impact on the functionality of health systems and world affairs. We assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) of healthcare workers (HCWs) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 23 referral hospitals located in three towns of the DRC (Lubumbashi, Kamina, Mbuji-Mayi). In total, 613 HCWs were surveyed using the World Health Organization's (WHO's) "Exposure Risk Assessment in the Context of COVID-19" questionnaire. Participants included medical doctors (27.2%) and other categories of HCWs (72.8%). The mean age was 40.3 ± 11.7 years. Over 80% (range: 83-96%) of respondents had sufficient knowledge on each of the three domains: COVID-19 symptoms, disease transmission, and patient care approach. However, attitudes and practices scores were relatively low. Only 27.7% of HCWs were willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when it is available, whereas 55% of HCWs complied with good practices; 49.4% wore masks consistently and, surprisingly, only 54.9% used personal protective equipment (PPE) consistently at work and during contact with patients. Knowledge level was positively associated with the use of social media as a primary source of COVID-19-related information and the category of residence, with HCWs from towns already affected by the COVID-19 epidemic being more likely to have positive attitudes (adjusted OR, 1.64; 95%CI, 1.32-2.20) and comply with good practices (aOR, 2.79; 95%CI, 1.93-4.06). This study showed that most Congolese HCWs had sufficient knowledge on COVID-19, whereas the majority did not comply with consistent PPE use. The government of the DRC should urgently take major steps in capacity building for HCWs in outbreak preparedness and supplying hospitals with PPE.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIF:Cette etude avait pour objectif d'etablir la relation entre l'age; la parite de la mere d'une part et le poids a la naissance d'autre part MeTHODOLOGIE: Une etude transversale et descriptive; a ete menee sur un echantillon de 314 couples meres - enfants au Centre de Sante Shungu en RDC durant la periode allant du 1er Janvier 2010 au 31 Decembre 2011. Notre population d'etude concerne tous les cas des accouchements a terme durant la periode de l'etude. Les donnees ont ete recueillies a l'aide d'une grille a partir des registres de la maternite. Puis elles ont ete encodees; saisies; traitees et analysees a l'aide du logiciel SPSS (version 19). ReSULTATS L'analyse a revele que le poids moyen de naissance est significativement plus bas chez les primipares que chez les multipares et chez les meres de moins de 18 ans que chez celles de plus de 18 ans. Le risque d'accoucher d'un enfant de faible poids de naissance a ete 9 fois plus eleve chez les primipares que chez les multipares et 23 fois superieures chez les meres de moins de 18 ans que chez celles de plus de 18 ans. CONCLUSION : Le faible poids de la naissance est un probleme majeur de sante publique aussi bien dans les pays en voie de developpement que dans les pays developpes. La maitrise des facteurs maternels qui ont le plus d'influence sur le poids et sur lequel on peut agir tel que l'age; la parite; et l'etat nutritionnel est d'une necessite dans la lutte contre le faible poids de naissance