Background/objectives: There is some evidence in the literature of under-testing of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan. This study aims to explore COVID-19 testing trends and the factors affecting them in a lower middle-income country for future infectious disease policy-making and intervention strategies.
Methodology: The study was conducted as a serial cross-sectional study during the three major peaks from March 2020 to June 2021 on 1616 participants in Punjab, Pakistan. This is the first study to explore COVID-19 testing trends in association with flu-like symptoms (FLS) and the factors affecting all three major waves in Pakistan.
Results: The results show that in all three waves, only 18.8% reported COVID-19 tested despite that 86.7% thought they had already had COVID-19, with 51.3% reporting having FLS and 35.6% with exposure to FLS from their families and 19.8% of positive testing rate among their family members. Out of the survey participants, 66% received vaccination, and over 80% had their eligible family members immunized. Fear of contracting COVID-19 was 69.7% in all three waves. Factors positively associated with the uptake of testing were the age group of 31-40 years with an adjusted odds ratio of 3.27 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.09-5.12) for the second wave and an adjusted odds ratio of 13.75 (95% CI: 9.43-20.01) for the third wave and traveling abroad with odds of 3.08 times when the reference was inland traveling. The adjusted odds ratio to test for FLS was 1.62 (95% CI: 1.21-2.16).
Conclusion: In this study, there is convincing evidence of COVID-19 under-testing and thus under-reporting. This study also suggests that fear-based interventions may be counterproductive; however, economic factors such as education, employment, and traveling are significant in guiding the behavior for infectious disease prevention and management.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10866180 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.7759/cureus.52309 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Risk of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome associated with meteorological factors in diverse epidemic regions: a nationwide longitudinal study in China.
Infect Dis Poverty
January 2025
School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Background: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a climate-sensitive zoonotic disease that poses a significant public health burden worldwide. While previous studies have established associations between meteorological factors and HFRS incidence, there remains a critical knowledge gap regarding the heterogeneity of these effects across diverse epidemic regions. Addressing this gap is essential for developing region-specific prevention and control strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEvidence mapping on barriers in accessing prenatal healthcare services among homeless women: a scoping review.
BMC Health Serv Res
January 2025
Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, 4001, South Africa.
Introduction: Prenatal care is crucial, but accessing healthcare services has been a challenge for pregnant homeless women in Africa. The majority in this marginalised group are not screened for common pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, infection, and stillbirth. Therefore, this scoping review aims to explore the barriers to accessing prenatal healthcare services for pregnant homeless women in Africa.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEfficacy and safety of olverembatinib as maintenance therapy after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Ann Hematol
January 2025
Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Experience using olverembatinib as maintenance therapy in patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph ALL) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is limited. We retrospectively collected data from 26 patients with Ph ALL who received only olverembatinib as maintenance therapy after allo-HCT. Olverembatinib was administered as prophylaxis in 18 patients (69.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhysical activity and quality of life among breast cancer survivors: Pink SWAN.
Support Care Cancer
January 2025
Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Purpose: To describe physical activity (PA) trajectories across 10 years post-breast cancer diagnosis and examine their association with quality of life (QoL).
Methods: Participants from the longitudinal Study of Women's Health Across the Nation who developed incident breast cancer completed the Quality of Life in Adult Cancer Survivors scale (QLACS) which has 12 domains. Breast cancer survivors (BCS) with at least one post-diagnosis measure of the Kaiser Physical Activity Survey (PA) were included (n = 96).
How social frailty is operationalized matters: Relationships with health and wellbeing in late adulthood.
Int Psychogeriatr
January 2025
School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Objectives: There are currently major inconsistencies in the methodological approaches used to index social frailty. The present study aimed to better understand which of these approaches may be most valuable in predicting older adult's physical health and psychological wellbeing.
Design: One hundred and thirty-three participants aged 60-90 years completed five measures commonly used to index social frailty, along with five measures of physical health, and psychological wellbeing.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!