Factors associated with preventive behaviour towards Covid-19 infection among African immigrants attending religious fellowships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The emergence of COVID-19 in late 2019 brought unprecedented challenges to global public health, notably in Malaysia, where the virus spread significantly through religious gatherings. The highly transmissible nature of the virus prompted the implementation of preventive measures. African immigrants in Kuala Lumpur encountered difficulties accessing healthcare due to exacerbated socioeconomic conditions during the pandemic. As of January 8, 2023, Malaysia had documented around 5,030,313 confirmed cases and 36,875 deaths, with a reported fatality rate of 0.7%. The aim is to determine the factors associated with preventive behaviour toward COVID-19 infection among African immigrants attending religious fellowships in Kuala Lumpur. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 445 African immigrants aged 18-65, both genders, educated, varying employment marital status attending religious gathering in Kuala Lumpur. Utilizing non-probabilistic convenience sampling, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed via WhatsApp. The data was analyzed using SPSS. Frequency and percentage were used in the descriptive analysis of risk perception, knowledge, past history of COVID-19 infection, preventive behaviour and sociodemographic characteristics. Bivariate analysis, specifically Chi-square tests, was employed to determine the association between risk perception, knowledge, past history, sociodemographic characteristics and preventive behaviour. Multiple regression analysis was used to ascertain the predictors of preventive behaviour. The hypothesis was two-sided with a significant level set at 0.05. A total of 445 participants took part in the study. The majority (69%) of respondents were aged 18 to 45 years (n=307). Regarding gender, most participants were female (51.9%), and more than half of the respondents held at least a bachelor's degree (79.8%). The majority was unemployed (55.7%) and married (65.6%). In terms of preventive behaviour, 72.8% of respondents demonstrated a good level of preventive behaviour compared to 27.2% with a poor level. Additionally, 53.0% exhibited a high level of risk perception, while 47.0% had low risk perception. Regarding knowledge of COVID-19, 71.0% possessed a high level of knowledge, while 29.0% had a low level. A majority (77.8%) had no past history of COVID-19, while 22.2% did. The factors associated with preventive behaviour, including risk perception, knowledge, past history, and sociodemographic factors, showed no statistically significant association, as they exhibited p-values > than 0.05. Results indicated that (72.8%) exhibited good levels of preventive behaviour, compared with (27.2%) poor, 53.0% respondents had high risk perception while only 47.0% had low risk perception, (71.0%) had high knowledge while 29.0 % had low knowledge, and 77.8% had no history of the disease while only 22.2% had a history of the disease. Age, gender, education, occupation, marital status, risk perception, knowledge and past history were not significant predictors of preventive behaviour as they all exhibited p-values greater than 0.05. This study pioneered the exploration of preventive behaviour among African immigrants attending religious gatherings in Kuala Lumpur. However, it underscores the urgent need for collaborative efforts involving stakeholders in the Malaysian health sector, including the Ministry of Health. Efforts to focus on reducing cultural barriers, particularly in communication will ensure that preventive messages are accessible to immigrants. Empowering community leaders to integrate preventive measures into religious activities can significantly help mitigate the spread of infection. Such initiatives hold promise for promoting public health within immigrant communities.

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