المستخلص: |
Background: The recent COVID-19 epidemic outbreak is an ongoing crisis that is causing global uncertainty on an unrivaled scale. During this outbreak, blood banks worldwide continue serving patients at risk of a contagious status. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the relation between the sociodemographic characteristics including age, gender, education level, income, and job type with primary preventive measures including avoiding the crowd, washing hands, wearing masks, wearing gloves, and social distancing during COVID-2019 pandemic. Additionally, the other goal was to help the central blood bank/Tripoli (CBB/ T) to assign suitable donors for collecting COVID- 2019 Convalescent Plasma (CCP), which is used to treat COVID-19 patients. Materials and Methods: A combined questionnaire-rapid test-based study was attained in the Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tripoli in collaboration with the CBB/ T and the Libyan Centre for Biotechnology Research, Tripoli, Libya. Questionnaires were distributed, signed consent, and filled by blood donors of CBB/ T. Whole blood and serum samples were collected for the Wondfo SARS-CoV-2 antibody test and serological chemiluminescent assay (i-Flash- COVID-19 Analyzer). Results: analysis of data collected revealed that there were 49 (5%) positive tested blood donors out of 961 for Wondfo SARS-CoV-2 antibody test. The primary preventive measures (PPM) were significantly higher in the positive high-income group than in the negative high and low-income groups. Moreover, the PPM was significantly higher in the positive participants in the pre-university level group than in the negative pre-university group. The positive participants at the university level showed higher PPM than the negative university and pre-university level groups. In regards to age, PPM was significantly higher in the positive participant 30th and 40th-decade groups than in the negative 30th and 40th- decade groups, respectively. In regard to the gender, PPM was significantly higher in the positive males and females groups than in the negative male group. Finally, PPM score was significantly higher in the positive medical and non-medical sector groups than the negative non-medical sector group. Conclusion: The present study reported adverse results that although the blood donor participants followed the PPM during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were highly affected by the infection with disregard to the sociodemographic characteristics including high income, education levels, age, gender, and job type.
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