Respiratory Disease Screening as an Adverse Effect and Associated Factors of COVID-19 Recovered Patients from Quiha Treatment Center in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2020: A Community Based Institutional Study

Background: Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an illness caused by a virus that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a new coronavirus that has spread throughout the world. COVID-19 symptoms can range from mild (or no symptoms) to severe illness. In late December 2019, investigation of a cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown origin in Wuhan, China resulted in identification of a novel coronavirus. The virus is distinct from both Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), although closely related. Objective: To assess respiratory disease screening as an adverse effect and associated factors of COVID-19 recovered patients from a treatment center in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia. Methods: A community based quantitative study design was conducted among 600 samples in Mekelle town, Tigray, Ethiopia. Data were collected using a structured and semi-structured questionnaire. Associations between dependent and independent variables were tested using logistic regression with the assumptions of p-values < 0.05 and confidence interval 95% and considered to be statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of respiratory disease after screening using CRQ was 24.3%. Variable like who read and wrote [AOR=2.859, 95% CI: 1.349-6.063, P=0.006]. COVID-19 symptoms such as those who had shortness of breathing [AOR=3.485, 95% CI: 1.776-6.838, P=0.001], sore throat [AOR=4.645, 95% CI: 2.107-10.242, P=0.001], and chest pain pressure was AOR=3.453, 95%CI: 1.484-8.037, P=0.04] were significant factor for respiratory disease. Conclusion: The study found that the prevalence of respiratory disease after screening using CRQ was 24.3%. Variables such as read and write, shortness of breathing, sore throat, and pneumonia were significant factors for respiratory disease.