Prevalence of fever and its associated risk factors among patients hospitalised with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua, Ghana
Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Plos One
Abstract
Background
In Ghana, temperature check at various points of entry was adopted as a means of screening
people for coronavirus disease 2019 without taking into consideration data on the local
prevalence of fever associated with the disease. Our objective was to assess fever prevalence
and its associated risk factors among patients hospitalised with coronavirus disease
2019 at the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua in Ghana.
Methods
We reviewed medical records of 301 coronavirus disease 2019 patients who were admitted
at the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua between May 5, 2020, and August 31, 2021.
Data collected on a pre-designed extraction sheet was processed, entered and analysed
using Microsoft excel 2019 and Stata/IC version 16.1 software. Prevalence of fever was estimated
and a multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to establish risk factors associated
with fever among hospitalised coronavirus disease 2019 patients. A relationship was
accepted to be significant at 5% level of significance.
Results
The prevalence of fever among hospitalised coronavirus disease 2019 patients was 21.6%
(95% CI, 17.1%-26.7%). Risk factors associated with fever were age group [0–19 years
(AOR, 5.75; 95% CI, 1.46–22.68; p = 0.013); 20–39 years (AOR, 3.22; 95% CI, 1.42–7.29; p
= 0.005)], comorbidity (AOR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.04–4.59; p = 0.040), and disease severity
[moderate (AOR, 3.89; 95% CI, 1.44–10.49; p = 0.007); severe (AOR, 4.08; 95% CI, 1.36–
12.21; p = 0.012); critical (AOR, 4.85; 95% CI, 1.03–22.85; p = 0.046)].
Conclusions
The prevalence of fever was low among hospitalised coronavirus disease 2019 patients at
the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua. However, there was an increasing risk of fever as
the disease severity progresses. Fever screening may be utilised better in disease of higher
severity; it should not be used alone especially in mild disease.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
fever, patients, hospitalised