Risk perception and the practices towards covid-19 among the garment workers in Bangladesh

Shamima Akter; Shafia Shaheen

doi:10.35782/JCPP.2021.4.05

Shamima Akter Medical Officer, Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre, Dhaka
Shafia Shaheen Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dhaka

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35782/JCPP.2021.4.05

Keywords: risk perception, knowledge, practices, garment workers in Bangladesh, COVID-19

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 is caused by Novel corona virus (SARS-CoV-2). The World Health Organization declared it as Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020 and as a global pandemic on 11th March 2020 (WHO). The first cases were detected in Bangladesh on 08th March 2020. The aim of the study was to assess the level of risk perception towards COVID-19 and the practices of preventive measures to fight against COVID-19 among the garment workers. A cross-sectional study was conducted from 20th December 2020 to 7th January 2021 among the garment workers of selected garment industries at Savar, Dhaka. The results show that the respondents well knew about COVID-19 as a viral, contagious disease and more than 94% knew that coronavirus infected patient needed isolation. The majority of the respondents (86.2%) got information about COVID-19 from television. Eighty percent of the respondents had a high-risk perception of being infected, the severity of the disease, and the possibility of death. Among the respondents, 76% had good practices of preventive measures of COVID-19. The study result showed that the level of risk perception had a significant positive relationship with the level of practices towards COVID-19 among the garment workers. It was recommended that emphasis should be given on awareness about COVID-19 which would enhance perceived risk and practices of precautionary measures towards COVID-19.