Effect Of Age and Gender On The Frequency Distribution of Covid -19 Infection In Karbala Province

Abstract

Background: The worldwide infection with Covid-19 represents an extraordinary threat to global populations health due to fast distribution and life-threatening complications. Despite the fact that Covid-19 affects all ages and both genders, it is now known that the pandemic affects certain age groups, namely the adults, more severely than children. Meanwhile, gender might have a further impact on the distribution of the disease. The most suitable explanation of this variation in the disease distribution among different ages and genders is the variable immune status of these different demographic phases of life. In addition, there are other possible mechanisms that represent a rich area of research and investigation. Collectively, the effect of both age and gender on the epidemiology of Covid-19 needs to be further studied and analyzed on a wider scale of sample size and standardized conditions.

Aim of the study: to evaluate and analyse the effect of age and gender on the frequency distribution of Covid-19 infection.

Method: A cross-sectional survey study was done during the period from June 2020 through August 2021. Individual and institutional consent was taken prior to the study. Records of the centers of Covid-19- specialized hospitals in Karbala, Iraq, were considered and analyzed using the SPSS statistic app. The study included a total of 2369 patients infected with Covid-19 were selected randomly. They were diagnosed by a specialist physician according to the current standard guidelines. The age range of the patients varies from two years to upto107 years)

Results: Data of the current study revealed that 1479 patients of the total number were males while only 890 were females. There was a significant difference in the disease distribution between males and females, p-value < 0.05, where males are more frequently affected than females in almost all age groups. Analysis of age effect on the distribution of the infection using the f test has shown that adults are more significantly affected than children. Additionally, the age groups (35-44 yrs) are more prone to infection than other age groups for males. While the number of infections among females peaks at age intervals (45-54 yrs), p-value < 0.05.

Conclusion: It was concluded that the male gender has significantly more predilection for the infection with Covid-19 than the female gender. Secondly, young and middle-aged adults’ males are more prone to infection than other age groups. While the number of infections among females peaks at a little bit older age. Finally, adults are affected more frequently than children less than 18 years old.