COVID Perceptions among Pregnant Women Living in a Malaria Hyperendemic Rural Region in Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2023 Nov 6:tpmd230464. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0464. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTBoth SARS-CoV2 and Plasmodium falciparum infection during pregnancy increases the risk for adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, including abortion, severe disease, and death. Indeed, although malaria and COVID-19 show an overlapping clinical presentation, they require a profoundly different approach. The aim of this study was to explore COVID-19 awareness among pregnant women living in a P. falciparum hyperendemic region in rural Uganda. This cross-sectional, prospective study was conducted in one Hospital and two Health Centers (HC) in Lango region, Uganda, from July 14, 2022, to March 14, 2023. Data about demographics, COVID-19 history, and COVID-19 and malaria perceptions were collected using RedCap mobile app platform. Study endpoint was a context-specific COVID-19 awareness score, accounting for the most common disease misconceptions. Association between study variables and good COVID-19 awareness was assessed by χ2 and t test, as appropriate, and variables found to be statistically significant were further explored in multivariate logistic regression analysis. A total of 888 pregnant women were recruited. Median age was 24 (interquartile range: 20-29) years, whereas 79% (n = 704) attained only primary education and 66.6% (n = 591) were used in agriculture. SARS-CoV2 vaccination rate was 92%. In multivariate analysis (Table 3), variables associated with high COVID knowled...
Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Francesco Vladimiro Segala Giulia Patti Lameck Olal Elda De Vita Nelson Olung Roberta Papagni James Amone Valentina Totaro Emmanuel Onapa Roberta Novara Benedict Ngole Mariangela L'Episcopia Samuel Okori Giovanni Dall'Oglio Jerry Ictho Carlo Severini Giov Source Type: research
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