tjfmpc Turkish Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care 1307-2048 Aile Hekimliği Akademisi Derneği 10.21763/tjfmpc.1557681 Preventative Health Care Social Determinants of Health Family Medicine Koruyucu Sağlık Hizmetleri Sağlığın Sosyal Belirleyicileri Aile Hekimliği 2021 Yılında Kosova, Priştine'de COVID-19 Prevalansı: Popülasyona Dayalı Kesitsel Bir Çalışma Prevalence of COVID-19 during 2021 in Prishtina, Kosovo: a population-based cross-sectional study https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1379-3188 Bojaj Gazmend Heimerer College https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3314-9905 Lama Arber Evidence Synthesis Group https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2715-995X Zhubi Esra Evidence Synthesis Group https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1936-5222 Halili Rrezart Main Family Medical Centre, Prishtina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6218-9641 Gashi Bujar Main Family Medical Centre, Prishtina https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4864-9610 Hoxha Teuta Main Family Medical Centre, Prishtina https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3132-7999 Kamberi Agron Main Family Medical Centre, Prishtina https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4763-3946 Hoti Nexhmedin Main Family Medical Centre https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4967-5811 Basha Vlora Index Kosova https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9070-4885 Berisha Visar Index Kosova https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8682-948X Sadiku Izet Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Centre of Kosovo https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4140-0460 Hill Brandon Dartmouth College https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5497-7886 Agahi Riaz Heimerer College https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4262-1406 Hoxha Ilir The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine 03 07 2025 19 1 106 115 10 08 2024 12 19 2024 Copyright © 2007, Turkish Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care 2007 Turkish Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care

Giriş: Koronavirüs hastalığının (Coronavirus disease 2019-COVID-19) küresel krizi, etkilerine yönelik kapsamlı araştırmaları teşvik etmiş ve çalışmalar, farklı görülme ve ölüm oranlarını ortaya çıkarmıştır. Bu çalışma, kendi kendine bildirilen semptomlar ve testlere dayanarak genel nüfus arasında COVID-19 prevalansını belirlemeyi, ayrıca prevalansın demografik, sağlık ve epidemiyolojik faktörlerle olan ilişkisini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır.Yöntemler: Mayıs-Haziran 2021 tarihleri arasında Kosova'nın başkenti Priştine'deki vatandaşlarla kesitsel bir anket gerçekleştirdik. Vatandaşlar arasında kendi kendine bildirilen COVID-19 semptomları ve pozitif testlerin prevalansını, ayrıca COVID-19 enfeksiyonunun koruma ve maruziyet katsayısı gibi açıklayıcı faktörlerle ilişkisini inceleyen ham ve düzeltilmiş odds oranlarını hesapladık.Sonuçlar: Ankete katılan 1255 kişiden 654'ü (%52.1) COVID-19 semptomları yaşadığını bildirdi. Altı yüz (%47.8) hane, bir aile üyesinin enfekte olduğunu ve 44 (%7.3) hane, bir aile üyesinin COVID-19 nedeniyle öldüğünü bildirdi. Ek olarak, 3064 hane üyesinin %47.2'si COVID-19 ile enfekte olmuş ve %1.5'i COVID-19 nedeniyle hayatını kaybetmiştir. Toplam 689 katılımcı COVID-19 testi yaptırmış olup, 184'ü (%26.7) pozitif sonuç bildirmiştir. COVID-19 semptomlarını bildiren bireyler arasında, enfeksiyon açısından daha yüksek olasılıklar; kentsel bölgede yaşayanlar (aOR, 1.53; 95%CI, 1.13-2.07; p=0.006), enfekte hane üyeleri olanlar (aOR, 2.53; 95%CI, 2.00-3.20; p<0.001), daha yüksek maruziyet katsayısı (aOR, 2.20; 95%CI, 1.42-3.41; p<0.001) ve mevcut sağlık sorunları olanlar (aOR, 2.22; 95%CI, 1.50-3.27; p<0.001) arasında bulunmuştur. COVID-19 testi yaptıran bireyler arasında, enfekte hane üyeleri olanlarda enfeksiyon açısından daha yüksek olasılıklar (aOR, 3.51; 95% CI, 2.29-5.39; p<0.001) bulunmuştur.Sonuç: Bu çalışma, Priştine'deki COVID-19 prevalansını ve mevcut sağlık sorunları, hane büyüklüğü, epidemiyolojik davranış ve enfekte üye sayısı gibi faktörlerin COVID-19 insidansının önemli belirleyicileri olduğunu vurgulamaktadır.

Background: The global crisis of COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) has prompted comprehensive research into its impact, with studies uncovering varied occurrence and mortality rates. This study seeks to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 amongst the overall population based on self-reported symptoms and testing while also examining the association of prevalence with demographic, health, and epidemiological factors.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out with citizens of Prishtina, the capital city of Kosovo from May to June 2021. We calculated the prevalence of self-reported COVID-19 symptoms and positive tests among the citizens, as well as crude and adjusted ORs examining the association of COVID-19 infection with explanatory factors, including the protection and exposure coefficient.Results: A total of 654 (52.1%) out of 1255 respondents reported having experienced COVID-19 symptoms. Six hundred (47.8%) households reported having an infected family member and 44 (7.3%) households reported having a dead family member due to COVID-19. In addition, 47.2% of 3,068 household members were infected with COVID-19, and 1.5% died due to COVID-19. A total of 689 respondents underwent testing for COVID-19 and 184 (26.7%) reported positive results. For individuals who reported COVID-19 symptoms, higher odds for infection were found among urban residents (adjusted OR, 1.53; 95%CI, 1.13-2.07; p=0.006), individuals with infected household members (adjusted OR, 2.53; 95%CI, 2.00-3.20; p<0.001), higher exposure coefficient (adjusted OR, 2.20; 95%CI, 1.42-3.41; p<0.001), and existing health conditions (adjusted OR, 2.22; 95%CI, 1.50-3.27; p<0.001). For individuals who underwent COVID-19 testing, higher odds for infection were found among individuals with infected household members (adjusted OR, 3.51; 95% CI, 2.29-5.39; p<0.001).Conclusion: This study highlights the prevalence of COVID-19 in Prishtina and the significance of factors like existing health conditions, household size, epidemiologic behaviour, and the number of infected members as important determinants of COVID-19 incidence.

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