COVID-19 precautionary practices and associated factors among clients visiting a tertiary hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background Despite efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, Addis Ababa, the country’s COVID-19 epicenter, is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of cases and death rate. While poor public adherence to COVID-19 precautionary practices is evident, factors associated with it are not well studied. We aimed to assess the level of practice of COVID-19 precaution and associated factors. Methods This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted from February 1st to 15th, 2021 at Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, a tertiary teaching hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We used a structured questionnaire to conduct a face-to-face exit interview with clients visiting the hospital. Systematic random sampling was employed to recruit study participants. Binary and multivariable logistic regressions were implemented to examine factors associated with precautionary practices. Statistical significance was declared at p-value <0.05. The Crude odds ratio (COR) and Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) were reported with a 95% confidence interval. Results We analyzed data obtained from 262 participants. The mean age of participants was 36 (SD+12) years. The majority (207, 79%) of the study participants had a favorable attitude towards prevention and control measures of COVID-19. A little over half (116, 55.7%) of the respondents had a satisfactory level of practice of COVID-19 precautions. Living in an area with strict enforcement of COVID-19 precautionary measures [AOR: 2.25, 95% CI (1.22–4.15)], and having a favorable attitude of COVID-19 prevention [AOR: 4.88, 95% CI (2.08–11.68)] were significantly associated with satisfactory COVID-19 precautionary practices. Conclusions The level of practice of COVID-19 precaution was unsatisfactory. Favorable attitude and stricter enforcement of COVID-19 preventive measures might have contributed more to adherence to precautionary practices. The findings highlight the need for a public health education strategy targeted at improving attitudes of the community on COVID-19 focusing on the effectiveness of preventive measures.