Predictors of health-related quality of Life for COVID-19 survivors living in Dhaka, Bangladesh: A repeated Follow-Up after 18 months of their recovery.

The study aimed to explore the key determinants that impact the quality of life (QoL) transformation of those who have recuperated from COVID-19 in the Dhaka metropolis, particularly 18 months post-recovery. RT-PCR confirmed that 1,587 COVID-19 patients from Dhaka were included in the study. The baseline was June - November 2020, subsequently recovered and interviewed 18 months after their initial recovery. The follow-up included 1587 individuals using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. After excluding 18 deaths, 53 refusals, 294 inaccessible participants, and 05 incomplete data entries, we analysed the data of the 1217 respondents. The average physical domain score decreased significantly from baseline to follow-up, whereas a significant increase in average scores has been observed in other domains at the follow-up (p<0.05). GEE equation shows after adjusting for other factors, older age, female gender, higher education, higher family income, hospital admission during COVID-19, and the number of comorbidities were significantly associated with changing individuals' QoL scores. Monthly family income >60000 BDT, being married and having no previous vaccination history are significant in reducing people's QoL scores in the psychological domain. On the other hand, age, employment status, monthly family income, marital status, smoking history, and COVID-19 reinfection were significantly associated with altering an individual's QoL scores in the social domain. The overall QoL of COVID-19 recovered people improved in all domains after 18 months, except the physical realm. Participants' age, employment status, family income, marital status, smoking history, comorbidities, COVID-19 vaccination, and COVID-19 reinfection were responsible for altering people's QoL index.

Quality of life of COVID-19 recovered patients: a 1-year follow-up study from Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic posed a danger to global public health because of the unprecedented physical, mental, social, and environmental impact affecting quality of life (QoL). The study aimed to find the changes in QoL among COVID-19 recovered individuals and explore the determinants of change more than 1 year after recovery in low-resource settings. METHODS: COVID-19 patients from all eight divisions of Bangladesh who were confirmed positive by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction from June 2020 to November 2020 and who subsequently recovered were followed up twice, once immediately after recovery and again 1 year after the first follow-up. The follow-up study was conducted from November 2021 to January 2022 among 2438 individuals using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF). After excluding 48 deaths, 95 were rejected to participate, 618 were inaccessible, and there were 45 cases of incomplete data. Descriptive statistics, paired-sample analyses, generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to test the mean difference in participants' QoL scores between the two interviews. RESULTS: Most participants (n = 1710, 70.1%) were male, and one-fourth (24.4%) were older than 46. The average physical domain score decreased significantly from baseline to follow-up, and the average scores in psychological, social, and environmental domains increased significantly at follow-up (P < 0.05). By the GEE equation approach, after adjusting for other factors, we found that older age groups (P < 0.001), being female (P < 0.001), having hospital admission during COVID-19 illness (P < 0.001), and having three or more chronic diseases (P < 0.001), were significantly associated with lower physical and psychological QoL scores. Higher age and female sex [adjusted odd ratio (aOR) = 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-1.6] were associated with reduced social domain scores on multivariable logistic regression analysis. Urban or semi-urban people were 49% less likely (aOR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.4-0.7) and 32% less likely (aOR = 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.9) to have a reduced QoL score in the psychological domain and the social domain respectively, than rural people. Higher-income people were more likely to experience a decrease in QoL scores in physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains. Married people were 1.8 times more likely (aOR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.3-2.4) to have a decreased social QoL score. In the second interview, people admitted to hospitals during their COVID-19 infection showed a 1.3 times higher chance (aOR = 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.6) of a decreased environmental QoL score. Almost 13% of participants developed one or more chronic diseases between the first and second interviews. Moreover, 7.9% suffered from reinfection by COVID-19 during this 1-year time. CONCLUSIONS: The present study found that the QoL of COVID-19 recovered people improved 1 year after recovery, particularly in psychological, social, and environmental domains. However, age, sex, the severity of COVID-19, smoking habits, and comorbidities were significantly negatively associated with QoL. Events of reinfection and the emergence of chronic disease were independent determinants of the decline in QoL scores in psychological, social, and physical domains, respectively. Strong policies to prevent and minimize smoking must be implemented in Bangladesh, and we must monitor and manage chronic diseases in people who have recovered from COVID-19.

Factors associated with low childhood immunization coverage among Rohingya refugee parents in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.

INTRODUCTION: Immunization campaigns and Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) were launched by Government of Bangladesh (GoB) in collaboration with WHO and other Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) to tackle the increased risk of vaccine preventable disease outbreak in the Rohingya refugee camps. Immunization coverage was found to be lower than expected. However, a few studies explored the factors behind low vaccine uptake among Refugee children. Therefore, this study was aimed. METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried out among Rohingya parents living in registered camps and makeshift settlements located in Teknaf and Ukhiya upazilla of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. A total of 224 Rohingya parents were conveniently selected (122 parents from each type of camps). Data was collected using a pretested interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire with the help of bilingual volunteers who understand Rohingya dialect. All statistical analyses were carried out in IBM SPSS Version 26 (New York, USA). RESULTS: Total 63.1% of Rohingya parents had good practice regarding childhood immunization (completed EPI vaccination) as per schedule. Of all, 74.6% had good knowledge and 94.7% had positive attitude towards EPI vaccination. Good practice regarding vaccination was significantly more common among parents living in registered camps (77%) than those living in makeshift settlements (49.2%, p<0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that living in registered camps (Adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 2.99; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.41-6.32) and good knowledge level (aOR: 2.88; 95%CI: 1.32-15.82) were independent determinants of good practice. A separate analysis in both type of camps revealed that in registered camps, good knowledge level (aOR: 3.62; 95%CI: 1.45-9.04) and having >2 children (aOR: 3.71; 95%CI: 1.34-10.27), and in makeshift settlements, father's employment (aOR: 2.33; 95%CI: 1.34-6.72), father's education (aOR: 3.00; 95%CI: 1.34-6.72) and presence of any electronic device (e.g., radio, television, mobile phone) (aOR: 4.01; 95%CI: 0.96-16.84) were significant determinants of good childhood immunization practice. CONCLUSION: Health education and promotion strategies should be implemented to increase knowledge and awareness about EPI immunization benefits among Rohingya parents to ensure greater coverage.