COVID-19 Seropositivity among Adults of Tribal Origin Attending a Primary Care Centre in Wayanad Kerala- A Cross Sectional Study
Published: January 1, 2024 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2024/64621.18971
Anima Raj, Navami Sasidharan, Aswathy Sreedevi, Sanjeev Vasudevan, V Anil Kumar, Minu Maria Mathew
1. Scholar (MPH), Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Ponekara, Kochi, Kerala, India.
2. Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Ponekara, Kochi, Kerala, India.
3. Professor and Head, Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Ponekara, Kochi, Kerala, India.
4. Professor, Department of Pain and Palliative Care, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Ponekara, Kochi, Kerala, India.
5. Clinical Professor and Head, Department of Microbiology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Ponekara, Kochi, Kerala, India.
6. Lecturer (Biostatistics), Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Ponekara, Kochi, Kerala, India.
Correspondence
Navami Sasidharan,
Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Ponekara, Kochi-682041, Kerala, India.
E-mail: iamnavami@gmail.com
Introduction: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious viral illness caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Serological surveys help in understanding the burden of past infections. The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests the need for population-based sero-epidemiological investigations to acquire data for implementing containment measures. The tribal population, being the most marginalised and vulnerable section, is at a higher risk for COVID-19. However, there is limited literature regarding the seroprevalence of COVID-19 among the tribal population in our country.
Aim: To assess the COVID-19 seropositivity, associated factors, and knowledge among adults of tribal origin attending a primary care centre in Wayanad, Kerala.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 279 adults of tribal origin, aged between 18 and 95 years, attending a primary tribal healthcare centre at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, Kerala, India, from August 2021 to October 2021. A semistructured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic details, history of COVID-19 infection, vaccination status, and participants’ knowledge and awareness about COVID-19. Antibody presence was tested using the WANTAI test kit. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 A multivariable logistic regression was conducted following univariate analysis to identify independent factors associated with COVID-19 seropositivity.
Results: The mean age of the study population was 45.34±15.86 years. Among the 279 participants, the proportion of seropositivity to COVID-19 antibodies was found to be 245 (87.8%) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 83.98 to 91.62. Regarding knowledge and awareness related to COVID-19, 186 (66.7%) participants were not aware of the common symptoms of COVID-19. Individuals aged above 60 years had a five times higher probability of having COVID-19 antibodies compared to those aged 30 years or younger (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 4.71, 95% CI 0.111 to 20.025). Those who had received atleast one dose of the vaccine were nine times more likely to have seropositivity (aOR 8.58, 95% CI 1.390 to 53.028).
Conclusion: The seropositivity of COVID-19 was high at 87.8%. Older people and vaccinated individuals were more likely to be seropositive. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen vaccination efforts among all age groups. Continued sero-surveillance and vaccination surveys need to be conducted to gain more insights into the antibody kinetics of this novel pathogen.
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