Table 2.
Multinomial Logistic Regression of Factors Associated with Misinformation Related to COVID-19
| |
Neutral |
Agree |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variables | AOR (95% CI) | P Value | AOR (95% CI) | P Value |
| a. Factors associated with belief in false statement 1: Drinking hot water flushes down the virus | ||||
| Demography | ||||
| Age category (years) | ||||
| 18-28 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| 29-38 | 1.42 (0.99-2.03) | .056 | 1.86 (1.25-2.77) | .002 |
| 39-48 | 2.22 (1.47-3.36) | <.001 | 3.61 (2.30-5.67) | <.001 |
| 49+ | 1.86 (1.16-3.00) | .011 | 3.16 (1.90-5.26) | <.001 |
| Employment status | ||||
| Employed | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Unemployed | 1.62 (1.16-2.27) | .005 | 1.72 (1.19-2.50) | .004 |
| Religion | ||||
| Christian | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Others | 0.64 (0.44-0.93) | .020 | 0.67 (0.45-1.01) | .053 |
| Highest level of education | ||||
| Postgraduate degree (master's/PhD) | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Bachelor's degree | 1.83 (1.36-2.45) | <.001 | 1.84 (1.35-2.51) | <.001 |
| Primary/secondary | 0.93 (0.58-1.49) | .771 | 1.36 (0.83-2.22) | .217 |
| Knowledge of symptoms of COVID-19 | ||||
| Fatigue | ||||
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 0.88 (0.64-1.19) | .404 | 0.69 (0.50-0.96) | .025 |
| Sore throat | ||||
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 1.60 (1.12-2.30) | .010 | 1.71 (1.15-2.54) | .008 |
| Compliance during COVID-19 lockdown | ||||
| Gone to crowded place including religious events | ||||
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 1.25 (0.98-1.60) | .069 | 1.36 (1.05-1.77) | .020 |
| COVID-19 risk perception | ||||
| If COVID-19 continues, how concerned would you be that you or family would be directly affected? | ||||
| Concerned | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Not concerned | 1.05 (0.64-1.73) | .836 | 0.69 (0.39-1.24) | .215 |
| How likely do you think COVID-19 will continue in your country? | ||||
| Likely | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Not likely | 1.74 (1.35-2.24) | <.001 | 1.90 (1.45-2.48) | <.001 |
| b. Factors associated with belief in false statement 2: COVID-19 has little effect on Blacks compared with Whites | ||||
| Demography | ||||
| Subregion | ||||
| Southern Africa | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Central Africa | 1.36 (0.93-1.97) | .111 | 1.37 (0.85-2.22) | .201 |
| East Africa | 1.30 (0.90-1.88) | .165 | 2.07 (1.36-3.15) | .001 |
| West Africa | 1.31 (0.98-1.73) | .065 | 0.95 (0.63-1.42) | .793 |
| Religion | ||||
| Christian | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Others | 0.63 (0.43-0.93) | .020 | 0.61 (0.36-1.03) | .065 |
| Highest level of education | ||||
| Postgraduate degree (master's/PhD) | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Bachelor's degree | 1.43 (1.11-1.84) | .006 | 1.34 (0.96-1.87) | .088 |
| Primary/secondary | 1.07 (0.72-1.59) | .731 | 1.14 (0.69-1.89) | .602 |
| Knowledge of symptoms of COVID-19 | ||||
| Fever | ||||
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 0.43 (0.20-0.92) | .030 | 0.41 (0.16-1.05) | .064 |
| Compliance during COVID-19 lockdown | ||||
| Gone to crowded place including religious events | ||||
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 1.28 (1.01-1.61) | .042 | 1.35 (0.99-1.82) | .053 |
| Handwashing/used hand sanitizer | ||||
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 0.77 (0.60-0.98) | .035 | 0.62 (0.45-0.84) | .002 |
| COVID-19 risk perception | ||||
| How likely do you think COVID-19 will continue in your country? | ||||
| Likely | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Not likely | 1.88 (1.48-2.38) | <.001 | 2.53 (1.87-3.42) | <.001 |
| c. Factors associated with belief in false statement 3: COVID-19 was designed to reduce world population | ||||
| Demography | ||||
| Age category (years) | ||||
| 18-28 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| 29-38 | 1.13 (0.81-1.57) | .475 | 0.63 (0.42-0.94) | .024 |
| 39-48 | 0.97 (0.67-1.42) | .882 | 0.48 (0.30-0.79) | .004 |
| 49+ | 0.86 (0.56-1.32) | .489 | 0.43 (0.24-0.76) | .004 |
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Female | 1.11 (0.89-1.38) | .368 | 1.54 (1.17-2.02) | .002 |
| Subregion | ||||
| Southern Africa | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Central Africa | 1.16 (0.80-1.68) | .440 | 1.45 (0.93-2.27) | .104 |
| East Africa | 1.55 (1.08-2.21) | .017 | 1.68 (1.10-2.56) | .016 |
| West Africa | 0.99 (0.75-1.31) | .964 | 0.85 (0.60-1.21) | .375 |
| Employment status | ||||
| Employed | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Unemployed | 1.54 (1.12-2.11) | .008 | 1.85 (1.28-2.68) | .001 |
| Highest level of education | ||||
| Postgraduate degree (master's/PhD) | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Bachelor's degree | 1.43 (1.10-1.85) | .007 | 1.69 (1.17-2.43) | .005 |
| Primary/secondary | 1.07 (0.69-1.64) | .771 | 1.30 (0.78-2.19) | .317 |
| Compliance during COVID-19 lockdown | ||||
| Gone to crowded place including religious events | ||||
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 1.32 (1.06-1.66) | .015 | 1.18 (0.89-1.56) | .259 |
| COVID-19 risk perception | ||||
| How likely do you think COVID-19 will continue in your country? | ||||
| Likely | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Not likely | 2.00 (1.59-2.51) | <.001 | 1.55 (1.16-2.07) | .003 |
| d. Factors associated with belief in false statement 4: The ability to hold your breath for 10 seconds means you don't have COVID-19 | ||||
| Demography | ||||
| Subregion | ||||
| Southern Africa | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Central Africa | 1.05 (0.72-1.52) | .803 | 0.59 (0.37-0.94) | .026 |
| East Africa | 1.20 (0.84-1.72) | .320 | 1.09 (0.74-1.62) | .655 |
| West Africa | 0.94 (0.70-1.27) | .702 | 0.72 (0.52-0.99) | .049 |
| Number of people living together in 1 household | ||||
| <3 people | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| 4-6 people | 1.34 (1.01-1.76) | .040 | 1.23 (0.91-1.66) | .186 |
| 6+ | 1.18 (0.84-1.65) | .353 | 0.82 (0.56-1.23) | .339 |
| Knowledge of symptoms of COVID-19 | ||||
| Unlike cold symptoms | ||||
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 0.77 (0.61-0.97) | .026 | 0.85 (0.65-1.11) | .226 |
| COVID-19 risk perception | ||||
| How worried are you because of COVID-19? | ||||
| Worried | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Not worried | 0.86 (0.68-1.10) | .228 | 0.74 (0.56-0.97) | .027 |
| How likely do you think COVID-19 will continue in your country? | ||||
| Likely | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Not likely | 2.09 (1.63-2.68) | <.001 | 1.75 (1.32-2.31) | <.001 |
Note: Variables set in bold are common factors associated with the belief or uncertainty in the false statements about COVID-19.
Abbreviations: AOR, adjusted odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.