Microbial Bioactives
MicroBio Pharmaceuticals and Pharmacology | Online ISSN 2209-2161
  1. You are here:
  2. Home
  3. Journals
  4. Biological Sciences
RESEARCH ARTICLE   (Open Access)
Contents Vol 7 (1)

COVID-19 Infection Patterns and Preventive Behaviors at Babylon University

Thekra Abdulaali Abed 1, Anwar A. Abdullah 1*, Ali Naser Abdulhussein 2, Anwar Kadhim AL-saffar 1, Hussein Kadhim Hussein 2,  Sinan Adnan Muhsin 3,  Nagham Shaheed Mahmood 1

+ Author Affiliations

Microbial Bioactives 7 (1) 1-7 https://doi.org/10.25163/microbbioacts.719741

Submitted: 29 April 2024 Revised: 06 May 2024  Published: 10 May 2024 

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has significantly impacted global health and socioeconomic systems. Understanding public attitudes, behaviors, and compliance with health mandates is crucial for effective pandemic management, especially in countries like Iraq, where the healthcare system faces unique challenges due to infrastructural inadequacies and public mistrust. Methods: A survey of 510 respondents, including academic staff and university students at Babylon University, was conducted between December 2020 and April 2021. The questionnaire, incorporating references from recent COVID-19 research, assessed demographics, COVID-19 infection patterns, and preventive behaviors. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20, with statistical significance evaluated at a p-value of ≤ 0.05. Results: The survey revealed a higher incidence of COVID-19 among individuals aged 10-29 years and among students (65.69%) compared to teaching staff (34.31%). Higher education correlated with better protective behaviors. Most participants had a normal BMI (49.61%) and blood group A+ (39.22%). Only 11.57% required hospitalization, and 51.76% experienced moderate symptoms. Non-use of multivitamins (63.73%) and anticoagulants (83.53%) was prevalent. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for targeted public health interventions to improve preventive practices among younger populations in educational settings. Addressing misinformation and enhancing public trust in health authorities are essential for managing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic effectively. The findings underscore the importance of community-level adoption of protective measures to support overburdened healthcare systems like Iraq's.

Keywords: COVID-19, Iraq, university students, preventive measures, public health

References

Al-Khafaji, N. S. K., Abdulla, A. A., Kunwar, P. S., Mohammed, S. S., Mohammed, R. K., Al-Marzoki, A. H., ... & Al-Gazally, M. E. (2020). Coronaviruses seven outbreaks associated with OC43, 229E, severe acute respiratory syndrome-CoV1, NL63, HKU1, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome-CoV2. Drug Invention Today, 13(6).

Anderson, R. M., Heesterbeek, H., Klinkenberg, D., & Hollingsworth, T. D. (2020). How will country-based mitigation measures influence the course of the COVID-19 epidemic? The Lancet, 395(10228), 931-934.

Bish, A., & Michie, S. (2010). Demographic and attitudinal determinants of protective behaviours during a pandemic: A review. British Journal of Health Psychology, 15(4), 797-824.

Ellinghaus, D., Degenhardt, F., Bujanda, L., Buti, M., Albillos, A., Invernizzi, P., ... & Karlsen, T. H. (2020). Genomewide association study of severe COVID-19 with respiratory failure. The New England Journal of Medicine, 383(16), 1522-1534.

Geldsetzer, P. (2020). Knowledge and perceptions of COVID-19 among the general public in the United States and the United Kingdom: A cross-sectional online survey. Annals of Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.7326/M20-0912

Iraqi Ministry of Health. (2019). The healthcare situation in Iraq: Challenges and priorities. Baghdad: Iraq Ministry of Health.

Lami, F., Rashak, H. A., Khaleel, H. A., Mahdi, S. G., Adnan, F., Khader, Y. S., Alhilfi, R. A., & Lehlewa, A. (2021). Iraq experience in handling the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications of public health challenges and lessons learned for future epidemic preparedness planning. Journal of Public Health, 1-10.

Mahase, E. (2020). Covid-19: UK starts social distancing after new model points to 260 000 potential deaths. BMJ, 368, m1089.

McKibbin, W., & Fernando, R. (2020). The global macroeconomic impacts of COVID-19: Seven scenarios. CAMA Working Paper. Retrieved from https://ideas.repec.org/p/een/camaaa/2020-19.html (accessed May 3, 2021).

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 on health and health systems - OECD. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/health/covid-19.htm (accessed July 31, 2021).

Rubin, G. J., Amlôt, R., Page, L., & Wessely, S. (2009). Public perceptions, anxiety, and behaviour change in relation to the swine flu outbreak: Cross-sectional telephone survey. BMJ, 339, b2651.

World Health Organization. (2020). Survey tool and guidance: Rapid, simple, flexible behavioural insights on COVID-19. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe. Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/436705/COVID-19-survey-tool-and-guidance (accessed June 1, 2020).

World Health Organization. (2022). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/ (accessed March 17, 2022).

Zhan, S., Yang, Y. Y., & Fu, C. (2020). Public’s early response to the novel coronavirus–infected pneumonia. Emerging Microbes & Infections, 9(1), 534-537.

Zhao, J., Yang, Y., Huang, H., Li, D., Gu, D., Lu, X., ... & Wang, P. G. (2020). Relationship between the ABO blood group and the COVID-19 susceptibility. medRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.27.20043943

Zhou, F., Yu, T., Du, R., Fan, G., Liu, Y., Liu, Z., ... & Cao, B. (2020). Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult inpatients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective cohort study. The Lancet, 395(10229), 1054-1062. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30566-3

Zhu, W. (2016). p < 0.05, < 0.01, < 0.001, < 0.0001, < 0.00001,< 0.000001, or < 0.0000001... Journal of Sport and Health Science, 5, 77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2016.01.019

PDF
Abstract
Export Citation

View Dimensions


View Plumx


View Altmetric




Save
0
Citation
403
View

Share