Investigating the relationship between environmental health measures and the control of the COVID-19 epidemic in Fars province during the years 2020–2022

IF 4 3区医学 Q1 INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Journal of Infection and Public Health Pub Date : 2025-07-21 DOI:10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102909

Zahra Derakhshan , Saeed Varzandeh , Mohammad Reza Samae , Mohammad Fararouei , Hassan Hashemi , Masoud Ghanbarian

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

The outbreak of COVID-19 and its global challenges highlighted the need for comprehensive information to prevent and control the disease due to its high mortality rate. Given the lack of sufficient data on COVID-19, scientific evaluation of the relationship between public health guidelines and epidemic control is essential. Fars Province, the most important province in southern Iran was selected for this study due to its powerful data collection network in the health sector.

Method

Data on incidence, hospitalization, and mortality due to COVID-19 were collected from all hospitals in Fars province during the first two years of the epidemic. Additionally, data on compliance with health guidelines and other governmental interventions were gathered through an index monitoring system. Data analysis was performed using descriptive methods, regression models, and time series analysis (ARIMA model).

Results

No significant relationship was observed between full compliance with health guidelines and the rates of infection, hospitalization, and mortality. Also, other interventions including activity restrictions, travel bans, vaccination, general quarantine, screening, and environmental health inspections showed no significant association with epidemic control (P-value > 0.05). However, prosecuting violators and closing non-compliant businesses within two months of enforcement led to a significant reduction in infection (P-value = 0.019) and death (P-value = 0.006) rates, effectively contributing to epidemic control.

Conclusion

While adherence to public health guidelines alone did not significantly impact COVID-19 control, strict enforcement measures, including prosecution and business closures, played a crucial role in reducing infection and mortality rates. These findings emphasize the importance of regulatory enforcement in managing epidemics.

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调查2020-2022年法尔斯省环境卫生措施与COVID-19疫情控制之间的关系

2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）的爆发及其带来的全球挑战突显出，由于该病的高死亡率，需要全面的信息来预防和控制该病。鉴于缺乏足够的COVID-19数据，科学评估公共卫生指南与疫情控制之间的关系至关重要。法尔斯省是伊朗南部最重要的省份，因其卫生部门强大的数据收集网络而被选为本研究的对象。方法收集法尔斯省所有医院在疫情头两年的COVID-19发病率、住院率和死亡率数据。此外，还通过指数监测系统收集了关于遵守卫生准则和其他政府干预措施的数据。数据分析采用描述性方法、回归模型和时间序列分析（ARIMA模型）。结果完全遵守健康指南与感染率、住院率和死亡率之间无显著关系。此外，其他干预措施，包括活动限制、旅行禁令、疫苗接种、一般检疫、筛查和环境卫生检查，与流行病控制没有显著关联(p值>；0.05)。然而，在执法的两个月内起诉违规者并关闭不合规的企业，导致感染率（p值= 0.019）和死亡率（p值= 0.006）显著降低，有效地促进了流行病的控制。结论仅遵守公共卫生指南并不能显著影响COVID-19的控制，但严格的执法措施，包括起诉和关闭企业，在降低感染率和死亡率方面发挥了至关重要的作用。这些发现强调了监管执法在管理流行病方面的重要性。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Infection and Public Health PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH -INFECTIOUS DISEASES

CiteScore

13.10

自引率

1.50%

发文量

203

审稿时长

96 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Infection and Public Health, first official journal of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences and the Saudi Association for Public Health, aims to be the foremost scientific, peer-reviewed journal encompassing infection prevention and control, microbiology, infectious diseases, public health and the application of healthcare epidemiology to the evaluation of health outcomes. The point of view of the journal is that infection and public health are closely intertwined and that advances in one area will have positive consequences on the other. The journal will be useful to all health professionals who are partners in the management of patients with communicable diseases, keeping them up to date. The journal is proud to have an international and diverse editorial board that will assist and facilitate the publication of articles that reflect a global view on infection control and public health, as well as emphasizing our focus on supporting the needs of public health practitioners. It is our aim to improve healthcare by reducing risk of infection and related adverse outcomes by critical review, selection, and dissemination of new and relevant information in the field of infection control, public health and infectious diseases in all healthcare settings and the community.