Characterising health care workers’ risk of exposure to SARS-COV-2 compared to non-health care workers in Blantyre, Malawi.
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Date
2020-06-05
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Kamuzu University of Health Sciences
Abstract
Background: Cases of COVID-19 continue to rise exponentially globally and also in
Malawi. Frontline health care workers (HCWs) remain at increased risk of contracting
SARS-CoV-2, a virus that causes COVID-19. Sickness and death of HCWs to COVID-
19 will have devastating effects on Malawi’s already fragile health system. This study
aims at characterising risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 among HCWs compared to
non-HCWs.
Main Objective
To characterize the exposure and risk of HCWs to COVID-19 in Blantyre compared to
non-HCWs
Specific objectives
i) To describe the demographic characteristics of HCW in the frontline of
COVID-19 response
ii) To establish the incidence (proportion of HCWs with) of COVID-19 among
HCW compared to the non-HCWs
iii) To ascertain the workplace/ occupational factors associated with/or
contributing to health care workers contracting SARS-CoV-2
Study design: Prospective descriptive cohort study
Study place: Blantyre District, Malawi
Study population: Frontline HCWs and matched non-HCWs in Blantyre
Study duration: May to August 2020
Data management and analysis: An electronic, predesigned questionnaire will be
used to collect data. Data curation and storage will be GCP compliant. STATA
software will be used to analyse the results. Proportions of HCWs and non-HCWs
infected with SARS-CoV-2 will be calculated and Chi-square test used to test the
difference. Multivariable logistic regression will be performed to explore occupational
factors that increase the risk of being infected.
Expected results: We expect to understand the risk health care workers have of
contracting SARS-CoV-2 and ascertain the workplace factors that increase this risk.
This information will assist policy makers in optimising infection prevention control
measures in workplaces, contributing to protecting HCWs in Malawi.
Dissemination of results: Results of this study will be presented to Blantyre DHO,
QECH, College of Medicine and Ministry of Health. Furthermore, results will be
disseminated through local, regional and international scientific
meetings/conferences/seminars/workshops and by publications in peer-reviewed
journals. In addition to a thesis being submitted in fulfilment of a Master of Medicine
degree, a copy of the final report and any enduing publications will be submitted to
COMREC and the College of Medicine Library.
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Research Subject Categories::MEDICINE