Prevalence and Assessment of Risk Factors of COVID-19: A Retrospective Study from Southern India| Chapter 10| Disease and Health Research: New Insights Vol. 4

 

Background: A research study was carried out to determine the prevalence and incidence of COVID-19 and to identify the risk factors associated with infection. The Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 assay was utilized to detect COVID-19.

 

Methods: Out of 1001 patients tested, 119 (11.9%) tested positive for COVID-19, with 5.3% females and 6.6% males. The highest percentage of positive cases was found among symptomatic patients with influenza-like illness (ILI symptoms) in a healthcare setting and among individuals who chose to get tested.

 

Results: Our multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed the risk factors associated with COVID-19 transmission. The relative risk (RR) indicates the ratio of risk (probability), where RR > 1 shows that exposure increases risk, and RR < 1 indicates that exposure is protective against risk. The analysis showed that being female (RR=1.10; 95%CI: 0.79-1.55), aged between 46-60 (RR=1.19; 95%CI: 0.75-1.87), all asymptomatic high-risk individuals (RR=2.79; 95%CI: 0.35-22.20), and all symptomatic patients with ILI symptoms in a healthcare setting (RR=3.64; 95%CI: 2.05-6.44) are associated with a higher prevalence of COVID-19.

 

Conclusion: Despite consistent exposure at work, we observed a modest incidence of COVID-19. Community contact was strongly associated with infections, but contact at work was not unless accompanied by high-risk exposure.

 

Author (s) Details

M. Revathi
Department of Biochemistry, Queen Mary’s College, Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.

 

B. Usharani
Department of Biomedical Genetics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Tamil

Nadu, India.

R. Venkateswari
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.

 

P. Gunavathy
Department of Biotechnology, Indira Gandhi College of Arts and Science, Indira Nagar, Puducherry, India.

 

M. Anbazhagi
Department of Environmental Science, Central University of Kerala, Kasarcode, Kerala, India.

 

M. Muthuraj
State TB Training and Demonstration Centre, Intermediate Reference Laboratory, Government Hospital for Chest Diseases, Puducherry, India.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/dhrni/v4/1750