ABSTRACT
Background: The COVID-19 has proven to be one of the most globally challenging pandemics necessitating a global lockdown, thereby drastically affecting the economy of the world as well as affecting the psychosocial wellbeing of individuals including university students and staff. The study aimed to assess the economic and psychosocial effect of COVID-19 pandemic and the preparedness for future pandemic with a view to making recommendations to appropriate authorities within the University of Benin Community.
Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among students and staff of University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State. Interviewer administered pre-tested structured questionnaire were administered to 640 students while 9 students and staff were randomly selected for qualitative method of data collection. Data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 25.0 statistical software with statistical significance set at p <0.050 and 95% confidence interval, while the qualitative data was analyzed using Nvivo software.
RESULTS: A total of 640 students participated in the study with a mean age ± SD (21.6 ± 3.9) years. About two-thirds410 (64.1%) of the respondents had good knowledge of COVID-19. The odds for good knowledge of COVID-19 were significantly higher among students in Faculty of Law (OR=0.159, CI=0.069, p<0.001) and students in School of Medicine (OR=2.058, CI=1.136, p=0.017). Less than half 269 (42.0%) of the respondents were negatively affected economically by the COVID-19. Students in the Faculty of Arts (OR=0.442, CI=0.265, p=0.002) were less likely to be negatively economically affected by COVID-19. About one-third of the respondents were negatively affected psychosocially by the COVID-19. Increasing age of respondents (OR=1.110, CI=1.225, p=0.040) and respondents negatively affected economically by the COVID-19 (OR = 1.017, CI=2.096, p<0.001) were significant predictors of negative psychosocial effect of COVID-19.
