Outcome of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and predictors at the Buea Regional Hospital, South West region of Cameroon.

Introduction: there is a paucity of data on the epidemiology of COVID-19 infection in Cameroon with a few studies limited to big urban cities. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 at the Buea Regional Hospital, in the South West region of Cameroon. Methods: this was a retrospective cross-sectional study. The medical records of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were reviewed from 2020 to 2021. Hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were included. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with mortality. Results: two hundred and ten (210) patients were included in this cohort. There were 114 (54.7%) men. The mean age was 60±17.1 years. The common co-morbidities were hypertension (46.7%), diabetes mellitus (31%), and HIV infection (5.7%). The most common symptoms were dyspnea (93.3%), fatigue (93.8%), cough (77.6%), and fever (71.4%). The median oxygen saturation was 85% and the median respiratory rate was 24 cycles per minute. More than 80% had crackles on lung examination. Death occurred in 57 (27.1%) patients. In binary logistic regression, the factors independently associated with mortality were heart failure (aOR: 6.7, p=0.034), SBP < 100 mmHg (aOR: 8.1, p<0.001), RR > 24 cpm (aOR: 3, p=0.016), SaO2<90% (aOR: 6.2, p=0.031), blood glucose > 150mg/dL (aOR: 3.3, p=0.02), and CRP > 50 mg/L (aOR: 3.3, p=0.036). For every 1 mg/dL rise in blood glucose, the odds of death increased by 1% (p=0.011). For every 1 mg/L rise in the C-reactive protein (CRP), the odds of death increased by 1% (p=0.054). Conclusion: over half of hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection in the South West Region of Cameroon were males. Hypertension and diabetes were common co-morbidities. More than a quarter of these patients died. Furthermore, having heart failure, low systolic blood pressure (SBP), low oxygen saturation, elevated respiratory rate, high CRP and blood glucose levels on admission were associated with poor prognosis.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding urinary schistosomiasis among adults in the Ekombe Bonji Health Area, Cameroon.

INTRODUCTION: Urinary schistosomiasis (US) is endemic in Cameroon. Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) are important aspects for control of the disease. However, data on these remain scanty. We aimed at evaluating knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding urinary schistosomiasis among adults in households in the Ekombe Bonji health area. METHODS: A community-based, cross-sectional study was carried out at Ekombe Bonji health area from February to March, 2017, involving all 12 communities. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding urinary schistosomiasis among 198 adults and to record their socio-demographic, environmental and clinical variables. Data were stored in Excel version 2013 and analysed using Stata version 14.2. RESULTS: Of the 198 adults interviewed, only 35.4% had prior knowledge about urinary schistosomiasis. Among these, 94.3%, 74.3%, 57.7% knew the signs and symptoms, modes of transmission and preventive measures respectively. Only 14.3% knew the cause and treatment. 81.2% considered urinary schistosomiasis a serious disease and 77.1% believed it could be prevented, albeit, their practices to prevent infection were inadequate. CONCLUSION: Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding urinary schistosomiasis among adults are inadequate, since most of them are not aware of the disease. Therefore, there is need for community-based interventions especially health education to effectively reduce the disease burden.