ASSESSMENT OF PERSISTING SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG ADULT PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM TREATMENT CENTERS IN JIGJIGA TOWN SOMALI REGION, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused morbidity and mortality at an unprecedented scale globally; there is inadequate understanding of persisting symptoms of COVID-19 after discharge. Weather they disappear after 14 days or lifelong, it needs to give more attention.This study aimed to fill the gap and identify all age of patients those most likely to be affected by Covid-19 could provide data to test new interventions toand behavioral patterns in order to implement effective interventions. Objective: the aim of this study was to assess persisting symptoms of COVID-19 and associated factors among adult patients discharged from treatment centers in Jigjiga Town, Somali Region, Eastern Ethiopia, from April 8 to 29, 2022. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 394previous COVID-19 patients discharge in treatment centers. Study subjects were interviewed by telephone using structured questionnaire and questionnaire was used to review patient charts. EpiData software version 3.1 was used for data entry and SPSS version 20 for analysis.Descriptive analysis was used to describe the study population and binary logistic regression was fitted to identify factors associated with persistent COVID-19 symptoms. Crude and adjusted odds ratios with their 95% confidence intervals were estimated to measure the strength association and p-value less than 0.05 was considered to declare statistically significance. Results: The magnitude of persistent symptoms of COVID-19 was 36.3%(95% CI, 31.7-40.9) being marriedAOR, 7, 95%CI, 2.2-22, less family sizeAOR, 0.027, 95%CI, 0.013-0.054 and wearing mask AOR, 0.049, 95%, CI,0.026-0.090were found to be significantly associated with persistent symptoms of COVID-19.  Conclusions: More than one-third of the patients had persistent symptoms of COVID-19. Wearing mask, family size and marital status were the significant factors associated with persistent symptoms of COVID-19. Therefore, we recommend increasingawareness of patients on COVID-19 and Health education about preventive measures to the patientsto reduce magnitudeofpersistencesymptoms of COVID-19.