Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38532360›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2024

Changes in social mixing and attitudes and practices to precautionary measures in a maturing COVID-19 pandemic in six communities in Sudan: a qualitative study.

Salma A E Ahmed, Rahaf AbuKoura, Abd Elhameed Ahmed, Omama Abdalla, Omnia Kamal Hassan, Ahmed Tom, Ahmed Eldirdiri, Drieg Ismaeil, Israa Zainalabdeen, Nazik Nurelhuda and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Salma A E AhmedIndependent public health researcher, Khartoum, Sudan. eljailanis@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0002-2510-6384
Rahaf AbuKouraLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-1956-2551
Abd Elhameed AhmedY-PEER Sudan, Khartoum, Sudan.
Omama Abdalla *Y-PEER Sudan, Khartoum, Sudan.
Omnia Kamal Hassan *Y-PEER Sudan, Khartoum, Sudan.
Ahmed Tom *Y-PEER Sudan, Khartoum, Sudan.
Ahmed Eldirdiri *Y-PEER Sudan, Khartoum, Sudan.
Drieg Ismaeil *Y-PEER Sudan, Khartoum, Sudan.
Israa ZainalabdeenY-PEER Sudan, Khartoum, Sudan.
Nazik NurelhudaUniversity of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.ORCID 0000-0003-4580-1744
Aljaile AhmedY-PEER Sudan, Khartoum, Sudan.
Afrah AbdanThe Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum, Sudan.
Maysoon Dahab *London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-4271-9705
Nada Abdelmagid *London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-4296-7378

Funding

CGH CDC HHS U01 GH002319
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionWith low COVID-19 vaccination coverage, non-pharmaceutical interventions were critical to mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic in Sudan. We explored changes in social contact patterns, risk perception, attitudes, and practices toward protective measures during an evolving COVID-19 outbreak in six illustrative communities in Sudan.

methodsThis qualitative study took place in six communities in five Sudanese states using focus group discussions with community members and non-participant structured observations in public spaces between March 2021 and April 2021. A total of 117 participants joined 24 group discussions. We used a two-stage thematic analysis.

resultsThe perceived importance of compliance with individual preventative measures among those who believe in COVID-19 was higher than observed compliance with behaviors in most study sites. Adherence was consistently low and mainly driven by enforced movement restrictions. As restrictions were lifted, social contacts outside the household resumed pre-COVID-19 levels, and risk perception and individual and institutional adherence to protective measures diminished. We identified an environment that is socially and economically unsupportive of preventive practices, compounded by widespread rumours, misinformation, and mistrust in the government-led response. However, we identified new social habits that can contribute to reducing COVID-19 transmission.

conclusionThe unfavourable social and economic environment, coupled with the low visibility of the pandemic and pandemic response, has likely modulated the influence of higher risk perception on adopting precautionary behaviours by individuals. Governments and non-governmental actors should increase the visibility of the pandemic and pandemic response, enforce and incentivise infection control measures in public areas, promote emerging preventive social habits, and actively track and address rumours and misinformation related to COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines.

Indexed as

COVID-19AttitudeCOVID-19 VaccinesHumansPandemicsSudanCOVID-19 VaccinesCOVID-19Non-pharmaceutical interventionsParticipatory analysisResource-poorSocial distancingSocial mixingSudan

Identifiers

PMID38532360
PMCPMC10964503

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.