PREVALENCE OF PERSISTING POST-COVID-19 SYMPTOMS AMONG ADULTS IN PRIMARY HEALTHCARE SETTINGS IN GABORONE, BOTSWANA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21010/Ajidv20i1.1Keywords:
post-COVID-19 conditions, long COVID-19, post-COVID-19 symptoms, chronic COVID-19 syndrome, primary health care setting, adults.Abstract
Background: Clients who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection still experience lingering symptoms. However, data on the prevalence of persisting post-COVID-19 symptoms and their associations with post-COVID-19 complications among adults in primary healthcare settings in Gaborone, Botswana, are lacking.
To determine the prevalence of persisting post-COVID-19 symptoms among adults in the primary healthcare setting and their associations with post-COVID-19 complications.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 197 adults aged 18 and above was purposively selected from nine (9) clinics. Data were collected via a valid and reliable questionnaire from January to May 2024. Analysis was performed via STATA-SE version 16. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized to analyze the data; frequencies and percentages were computed for categorical variables.
Results: The prevalence of post-COVID-19 symptoms was 45.2% for respiratory symptoms and 41.1% for neuropsychiatric. Followed by 35% of general symptoms. Few respondents reported dermatologic (2.5%), gastrointestinal (5.1), and genitourinary (2.5%) symptoms. The prevalence of post-COVID-19 complications increased with age. The rates were 6.3% for those aged 18-30 years, 10.8% for those aged 31-45 years, and 25.9% for those aged 46 and above. There was no significant difference between male and female prevalence of post-COVID-19 symptoms and complications, p-value=0.352.
Conclusion: Adults in primary healthcare settings reported various persistent chronic symptoms post-COVID-19. Persisting post-COVID-19 symptoms are another significant health crisis originating from the COVID-19 pandemic that must be understood to inform healthcare professionals about developing standardized management protocols.
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