Study finds surprising risks for COVID-19 infection
The Effects of 105 Biological, Socioeconomic, Behavioral, and Environmental Factors on the Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Severe Course of COVID-19: A Prospective, Exploratory Cohort Study Summary The confirmed number of SARS-CoV-2 infections as of October 18, 2022 is 626 million worldwide, but information on factors affecting the likelihood of infection or a severe course of COVID-19 remains insufficient. and often speculative. Only a small number of factors have been rigorously examined, mostly through retrospective or cross-sectional studies. We conducted a preregistered study on 5,164 Internet users who shared information with us about their exposure to 105 risk factors and reported being COVID-19 negative before the start of the fourth wave of COVID-19 in the Czech Republic. After the fourth wave, in which 709 (13.7%) of the participants were infected, we used a partial Kendall test controlled for sex, age, and urbanization to compare the risk of infection and a severe course of the disease in subjects. they initially had and did not report exposure to particular risk factors. After correction for multiple tests, we identified 13 factors, including male sex, younger age, blood group B, and larger household size, that increased the risk of infection and 16 factors, including wearing masks, borreliosis in the past, use of vitamin D supplements or consumption of rooibos reduced it. We also identified 23 factors that increased the risk of a severe course of COVID-19 and 12 factors that decreased the risk. This preregistered longitudinal study is exploratory in nature. Therefore, although the observed effects were strong and remained highly significant even after correction for multiple testing, their existence will need to be confirmed in future independent studies. |
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A new paper in Biology Methods & Protocols , published by Oxford University Press, investigates the risk factors and protections against contracting COVID-19, as well as getting severe COVID. The researchers identified several characteristics, including male sex, younger age, blood group B, and larger household size, that increased the risk of infection, and many other characteristics, including mask wearing and vitamin D use. , which reduced it. They also identified things that increased or decreased the risk of a severe course of COVID-19. Some of these findings are unexpected.
SARS-CoV-2 has infected more than 600 million people worldwide, resulting in 6.57 million confirmed deaths. But information on the factors that affect the likelihood of infection or suffering a severe course of the disease remains insufficient and often speculative. Previously recorded longitudinal studies on infection risk factors are surprisingly rare. Many factors, such as contact with animals, have been suggested only on a theoretical basis or discussed in non-scientific sources.
Researchers conducted a study with 30,000 internet users and recruited participants on sites such as Facebook and Twitter in the Czech Republic who shared information about their exposure to 105 COVID-19 risk factors . Study participants indicated which potential risks and protective factors applied to them. These included demographic and health characteristics, as well as information on behaviors, such as owning animals, taking vitamins and supplements, actively participating in sports, swimming in cold water, singing frequently, using marijuana, smoking tobacco, living alone, walking in nature and be a volunteer. .
The study found that, as expected, some sociodemographic factors had a moderate effect on COVID-19 risks. People living in larger cities and people with higher levels of education, especially women, had a lower risk of infection. Larger household sizes and the number of children under 20 years of age (in men) were associated with a higher risk of infection.
People who lived alone had a much lower risk of infection than those who shared a home with another person.
Singles also reported a less severe course of COVID-19 . Education level and (in women) also household size had the strongest protective effects against a severe or prolonged course of COVID-19.
Many predictable behaviors appeared to protect people against infection, while three factors, namely actively participating in sports, singing frequently, and swimming in cold water, increased the risk of infection.
The most important protective factor against COVID-19 infection was strict compliance with the use of masks.
The second most important protective factor was the consumption of vitamins and supplements. This study notably found that taking vitamin D provided significant protection against acquiring COVID-19.
Adherence to social distancing and frequent handwashing had only a weak protective effect. This study also indicated that having type B blood increased the risk of COVID-19 infection. Keeping cats or dogs as pets did not affect the risk of infection and had a largely insignificant positive effect on the risk of someone experiencing a severe course of the disease.
The study here found that tobacco smoking and also marijuana use (in women) have a relatively strong protective effect against infection. The researchers found that marijuana use and smoking could also have some protective effects against a severe course of COVID-19. The protective effects of smoking against infection have been reported in previous studies. However, most studies show adverse effects of smoking on the risk of a severe course of COVID-19.
The most unexpected result of the study was a positive correlation between a greater severity of the course of COVID-19 and adherence to the use of masks and respirators and, to a lesser extent, the maintenance of social distance. Researchers speculate that this is because people predisposed to a severe course of COVID-19 (those who are overweight, have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or diabetes) went out of their way to avoid infection and adhered more strictly to health recommendations. public about masks and distancing But when they became infected, they often had a more severe course of the disease due to their underlying health problems.
Conclusions The present preregistered longitudinal study conducted in a large population of Internet users confirmed that some recommended measures, such as wearing masks or taking vitamin D, indeed protected participants against SARS-CoV-2 infection or a severe course of COVID-19. 19, while other factors, even those that have a generally positive effect on health, such as sports or swimming in cold water, increased the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The exploratory nature of the study also brought some unexpected findings: for example, we found a strong protective effect of having been diagnosed with borreliosis in the past or drinking rooibos (a plant of South African origin). Although the observed effects were strong and remained highly significant even after correction for multiple testing, their existence will need to be confirmed in future independent studies. |
