ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to examine COVID-19 preventive behaviours among secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area, Edo State. To guide this study, three research question were raised and two hypotheses were formulated and tested.
The descriptive correlational survey research design was adopted to accomplish the objectives of the study. The population of study involved Six Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty Eight (6,838) senior secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area. The sample size for the study comprised of One Hundred (100) secondary schools students in Egor Local Government Area. The main instrument of this research is a 24 item self-structured questionnaire which was validated by the researcher’s supervisors and two other experts, all from the Department of Health, Safety and Environmental Education, University of Benin. The instrument was tested for reliability using the split-half reliability method. The research instrument was administered twice to a small sample within an interval of two weeks. The results showed a reliability coefficient of 0.88 which was considered high, acceptable and accurate. Data collection was carried out by the researcher, and the collected data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 21. The descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics of Pearson Product Moment Coefficient was used for the data analysis. Population co-operation and taking appropriate preventive actions are necessary to hinder the spread of infectious diseases. Preventive actions include reducing public places use, how to prevent cough, intensive hand washing, surface disinfection, and talking with everyone about how to forbid. Public engagement to cooperate and to start taking precautions for preventing infectious diseases is essential.
The findings of this study revealed that secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area exhibited COVID-19 preventive behaviours. The study also established that there is a strong relationship exists between knowledge of COVID-19 prevention and its preventive behaviours, as well as a strong relationship exists between attitude of COVID-19 prevention and its preventive behaviours among secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area, Edo State. On the basis of this study it was recommended that the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) should be further strengthened by the Federal Government to continually disseminate health information concerning COVID-19 preventive measures.
