Personal experiences and sources of information.
deaths, CBVs
DISEASE
Personal experience with COVID-19 was a particularly important motivator for performing prevention behaviors, with an individuals’ fear versus doubt of the disease raised as a critical deciding factor in adherence. Misinformation spreading doubt about the severity of COVID-19 or need for prevention behavior adherence has been reported in many African communities.Respondents in this study discussed non-adherence as particularly widespread when case numbers were still low in Zambia, with adherence to prevention behaviors increasing as case numbers grew and media coverage of daily cases and high-profile deaths expanded. Due to the rural, impoverished nature of these areas, these communities have limited access to internet and television, lacking access to widespread national information campaigns on these platforms.Even with these challenges and limitations, the Government of Zambia was able to reach and educate many remote-living individuals by implementing television, radio, and social media campaigns and ensuring that health center staff, CBVs, and community leaders provided widespread sensitization. This is common practice for sharing health education in LMICs and could be more broadly applicable for reaching geographically remote or otherwise vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations globally.