The study which observed the probable relationship between COVID-19 risk exposure as a criterion variable predicted by synergic contributions of knowledge level about COVID-19 and Socio-demographics revealed a dramatic outcome. See detail below.

Classification of study participants based on socio-demographic characteristics revealed that more females 204 (58.8%) participated compared to males 143 (41.2%). Age classes revealed 30 - 44 Years -140 (40.3%) as the highest participants whereas, Less than 15 Years- 2 (0.6%) were the lowest in number. The study participants were mainly single 187 (53.9%) and married 153 (44.1%) but Separated/Divorced was the least 3 (0.9%). Furthermore, tertiary 309 (89.0%) and primary 2 (0.6%) education were the highest and least respectively. Based on the location where the respondents reside as at the time of the data collection, urban residents 278 (80.1%) participated more while the rural residents 23 (6.6%) were the least in number. Table 1 presents detail.

Correlation of COVID-19 Risk exposure and Socio-demographics with Knowledge was measured to evaluate the relationships between the variables studied. The relationship study affirms no statistical correlation between COVID-19 risk and variables of sex, (0.097, p=0.07) education (-0.057, p=0.29) and location (0.055, p=0.31) as hypothesized. On the contrary, age (0.220, p=0.00) and marital status (-0.158, p=0.00) reported a considerable correlation with COVID-19 risk.

In addition, the relationship between COVID-19 Risk and Knowledge level with respect to general knowledge (r=0.499^**, p=0.00), signs/symptoms (r=0.285^**, p=0.00), transmission (r=0.532^**, p=0.00), and misconceptions (r=0.108^*, p=0.05) showed significant correlation at varying alpha levels (0.01 and 0.05). See Table 2.

The study separately investigated the relationship between COVID-19 risk and knowledge level about novel Coronavirus with a correlation (r) estimate of 0.356 showing a direct moderate relationship between the exposure to COVID – 19 associated risks and the knowledge level of the public. Further estimation revealed a direct non-significant weak correlation (r=0.0961) between socio-demographics and COVID-19 risk. Fisher Transformation was used to test the statistical significant difference of the two correlations obtained, a Z-value of 0.362 proved a statistically significant (p=0.00) difference between the correlation of knowledge and socio-demographics with respect to COVID-19 risk exposure. Table 3 presents the detail.

The regression model significantly predicted the synergic contributions of knowledge level and demographics to COVID-19 risk exposure. A comparable significant regression equation was found indicating a strong correlation from the output of the coefficient of determination (R=0.648). Result showed; R²=0.420 and adjusted R²=0.404, df=2, 336, F-value=27.012, p=0.00.

Using the adjusted R², the result reads that about 40% of the variance in the outcome variable, in essence, the probability of COVID-19 risk exposure can be explained by knowledge about COVID-19 and demographics. 40% is a marked significance. Since R²cannot be used to ascertain a biased model because R² increases per time a predictor is added to the model. R²never decreases even when it is just a chance correlation, based on this the adjusted R²was used for interpretation, to compare the goodness-of-fit for the multiple predictor variables. The adjusted R increases only when the new term improves the model fit more than expected by chance alone and decreases when the term does not improve the model fit by a sufficient amount. See Table 4.

Predictor variables of the knowledge used here included knowledge about COVID general issue, signs/symptoms, transmission, and misconceptions about COVID-19. Also, the second predictor variable-socio-demographic variables constituted; sex, age, education, marital status and location. Coefficients of Regression for COVID-19 Risk result obtained in this study showed the predictor variables of knowledge and socio-demographics were regressed on COVID-19 risk outcome.

The unstandardized beta (B) which represent the slope between predictors (knowledge and socio-demographics) and outcome variable being COVID-19 risk indicates that; a unit increase in the predictor variables results to an increase in the outcome of COVID-19 risk exposure by .287, .043, .378, .053, .052, .033, .000 and .005 for General Knowledge, Signs/Symptoms, Transmission, Misconception, sex, age, education and location respectively. Also, a unit increase in the predictor variables will cause a concomitant decrease in the outcome variable by -.022 for marital status. Furthermore, the t-test demonstrated statistical significant in just three areas namely general knowledge (t=6.535, p=0.00), transmission (t=7.347, p=0.00) and misconception (t=2.125, p=0.03). Table 5, Figure 1.

This study examined the perception of the public about COVID-19 risk exposure and its relationship with other factors like socio-demographics and COVID-19 knowledge as previous studies tried to highlight some of these issues, but it has remained ambiguous to appreciate the prevailing interplay. Based on knowledge level about COVID-19, this study is consistent with a review on risk perceptions of COVID-19 around the world confirming that knowledge was significantly associated with COVID risk perception, in addition to a gender effect. It showed that the determinants of knowledge predicted the influence of COVID-19 risk exposure. Similarly, knowledge level which correlated with COVID-19 risk was observed by Dryhurst and colleagues (2020) 18.

However, behavioural patterns of individuals can basically influence and alter the exposure including a spread in pandemic 19202122; this is applicable in this COVID-19 pandemic. Risk awareness is a determinant of the populace s enthusiasm to oblige and adopt public health precautionary behavioural pattern during pandemics. Practices such as hand hygiene, use of face mask, social distancing and avoidance of crowd depend on prior knowledge especially about the risks 232425262728. General knowledge about COVID-19 as well as its transmission can be attributed to the risk of exposure directly. Moderate to strong correlation found in this study suggested that. From the study knowledge about COVID-19 on the transmission which deals with the spread of the virus is directly related to the perceived exposure risk.

The role of socio-demographic variables in COVID-19 infection risk and management still has some grey spots awaiting scientific clarification. Age, sex, and chronic diseases have been implicated as high risk to COVID-19 infection including difficult management insights. Nevertheless, de Lusignan and colleague (2020) in a report 29 remarked a disparity that, most underlying health conditions insignificantly increased vulnerability to infection and the investigation established a relationship between smoking and lower probability of positivity. Surprisingly, the study supposed it to be as a result of confounders, than the perceived protective effect of smoking against COVID-19 that can be assumed; as there are alternative explanations like smoking could obstruct the sensitivity of COVID-19 test and other alternative explanations 30.

The outcome of this study showed no indication of a relationship between sex and COVID-19 risk, but sex-related risk perception has been reported previously. Maleness was uniformly associated with lower risk perceptions in several nations 31. In the same way, another study on risk perception posited the same 32. Specific risk stratification showed that males are at objectively higher risk from COVID-19 33. Furthermore, this study which reports considerable relationship with just two socio-demographic variables namely age and marital status is in opposition with a review study which made known that the only significant socio-demographic was gender 34. Equally, this current study is in contrary to the prior study by Dryhurst and colleagues (2020) in that, the study revealed sex demonstrated null significant with COVID-19 risk 35.

In addition, finding from this study is backed up by similar observations seen in preceding works. de Lusignan and colleagues (2020) established a relationship between COVID-19 and socio-demographic determinants 36. In a study, it was reported that younger people and females have a lower risk of COVID-19. Further investigation revealed other socio-demographic variables and health determinants such as deprivation, living in a high population density; ethnicity, obesity, and chronic disease are associated with a positive test for COVID-19 37. Notably, this study observed evidence of a significant correlation between COVID-19 risk and marital status plus age as the only socio-demographic variables that can be implicated. On the other hand, the rationale behind the relationship between COVID-19 risk and marital status has remained unclear thus, requires more investigation. The extremes of age have been the most challenged age groups health-wise. This is due to many factors like low immunity, challenges of the ageing process and more. But the case of COVID-19 is peculiar to the geriatric population with a low impact on the younger age group. The significant relationship between COVID-19 and age reported in this study is in consonance with other studies 383940. This has been explained with various mechanisms such as immunity, physiologic process and more 41.

In a nutshell, the findings from this study suggest marked association between COVID-19 and knowledge with respect to general knowledge about COVID-19 pandemic, signs/symptoms, transmission and misconception. Age and marital status were the only socio-demographics which proved evidence of relationship with COVID-19 risk exposure. More so, synergistic approach revealed a combined prediction of COVID-19 risk when modelled with multiple regression, as predicted by COVID-19 knowledge indicators and socio-demographic variables. These findings share similarity and discrepancy with others. This variation may perhaps be due to some extraneous factors, geographic variability, cultural as well as traditional plus religious perceptions which make up an individuals view.