FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH HOME BASED CARE SERVICES IN THE CONTROL OF COVID-19 INFECTION IN SHEEMA MUNICIPALITY, SHEEMA DISTRICT. A RESTROSPECTIVE STUDY.

Johnson Akankwasa; Gershom  Atukunda; Waswa Bright  Laban

doi:10.51168/sjhrafrica.v6i6.1695

Authors

Johnson Akankwasa 1. Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara, Department of Public Health and Biomedical Sciences,
Gershom Atukunda 3. Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara, Director, Directorate of Graduate Studies, Research and Innovations
Waswa Bright Laban 2. Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara, Department of Public Health and Biomedical Sciences,

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51168/sjhrafrica.v6i6.1695

Keywords:

HBC Services, COVID-19, Socio-economic factors, Vulnerable individuals

Abstract

Introduction: Home care and home health companies offer a range of services to help people stay safe in their homes, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, personal care support, and transportation.

Objective: The study analyzed COVID-19 suspects' use of Home Based Care (HBC), identified social, demographic, economic, and environmental factors, and established policies for HBC agencies.

Methodology: A study involving 394 participants aged 10-80 with mild COVID-19 symptoms in home care examined factors related to home-based care services and COVID-19 infection control using logistic regression analyses.

Results: Of the 394 home care participants in the research, 80.2% were able to control their COVID infection. HBC-related factors were washing hands with soap and water, keeping a safe distance from coworkers, wearing masks, taking precautions, touching the mouth, nose, or eyes with dirty hands, and people who were unable to recall or found it difficult to break bad habits. Participants who used masks when they were out of the house most of the time (about 75% of the time) had a 95% lower chance of controlling their COVID-19 infection, according to the multivariate analysis (aOR=0.05; 95%CI (0.0-0.41); p=0.005). The odds of controlling a COVID-19 infection were 98% lower for participants who occasionally (about 25% of the time) used masks when they were outside (aOR=0.02; 95%CI (0.0-0.3); p=0.005) and 92% lower for participants who mainly (approximately 75% of the time) followed precautions when making purchases to prevent virus contamination.

Conclusion: Home Based Care significantly impacted COVID-19 infection control, with 80.2% of participants using services, highlighting its importance in maintaining continuity of care, especially for vulnerable individuals.

Recommendations: The study suggests that global implementation of evidence-based practice guidelines and federal policy changes can enhance preparedness for future disasters and pandemics. Uganda's Ministry of Health should strengthen these strategies, including home-based care services,

References

Szymanski EP, Miller RK. Home-Based Care Services and Community-Based Resources. Geriatr Home-Based Med Care Princ Pract Second Ed [Internet]. 2024 Nov 25 [cited 2025 Apr 28];25-48. Available from: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-68786-0_3 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-68786-0_3

Berardi C, Schut F, Paolucci F. The dynamics of international health system reforms: Evidence of a new wave in response to the 2008 economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic? Health Policy (New York) [Internet]. 2024 May 1 [cited 2025 Apr 28];143:105052. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168851024000629 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2024.105052

Augustine O, Bosco O, Opollo MS, Akello AR, Francis K, Bernard O. Mortality and associated factors among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Lira regional referral hospital, a cross-sectional study. medRxiv [Internet]. 2024 Oct 6 [cited 2025 Apr 28];2024.10.05.24314935. Available from: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.05.24314935v1 https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.10.05.24314935

Olum R, Bongomin F. Uganda's first 100 COVID-19 cases: Trends and lessons. Int J Infect Dis. 2020 Jul 1;96:517 8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.05.073

Filip R, Gheorghita Puscaselu R, Anchidin-Norocel L, Dimian M, Savage WK. Global Challenges to Public Health Care Systems during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of Pandemic Measures and Problems. J Pers Med [Internet]. 2022 Aug 1 [cited 2025 Apr 28];12(8):1295. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9409667/ https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm12081295

Ul Hussan A, Nasir Rur, Rehman S, Fatima A, Javed W, Ahmad M, Et Al. Investigating The Socio-Demographic Pattern of COVID-19 Suspected Cases: A District Level Study. Oxid Commun [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2025 Apr 28];47(4):918-26. Available from: https://openurl.ebsco.com/contentitem/aph:182496268?sid=ebsco:plink:crawler&id=ebsco:aph:182496268&crl=c

Alhumaid S, Al Mutair A, Al Alawi Z, Alsuliman M, Ahmed GY, Rabaan AA, et al. Knowledge of infection prevention and control among healthcare workers and factors influencing compliance: a systematic review. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control [Internet]. 2021 Dec 1 [cited 2025 Apr 28];10(1):1-32. Available from: https://link.springer.com/articles/10.1186/s13756-021-00957-0 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-021-00957-0

Zhang H li, Wu C, Yan J ran, Liu J hua, Wang P, Hu M yi, et al. The relationship between role ambiguity, emotional exhaustion, and work alienation among Chinese nurses two years after COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry. 2023 Dec;23(1).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04923-5

Mchopa AD. Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches By: OLIVE M. MUGENDA AND ABEL G. MUGENDA. AFRICAN CENTRE FOR TECHNOLOGY STUDIES (ACTS) PRESS, NAIROBI - KENYA, 2003. ISBN: 9966-41-107-0. 256 PP. J Co-op Bus Stud [Internet]. 2021 Apr 1 [cited 2025 Feb 28];5(1):856-9037. Available from: https://journals.mocu.ac.tz/index.php/jcbs/article/view/148

Namutebi and CBJ. Parliament Approves 16 New Districts [Internet]. New Vision; 2010 [cited 2025 Apr 28]. Available from: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/718487

NATIONAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS 2024 FINAL REPORT VOLUME 1 (MAIN) REPUBLIC OF UGANDA.

O.Nyumba T, Wilson K, Derrick CJ, Mukherjee N. The use of focus group discussion methodology: Insights from two decades of application in conservation. Methods Ecol Evol [Internet]. 2018 Jan 1 [cited 2025 Feb 28];9(1):20-32. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/2041-210X.12860 https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12860

Mugenda OM., Mugenda AG. Research methods : quantitative and qualitative approaches. 1999;256.

Cresswell T. Geographic thought : a critical introduction. 2024 [cited 2025 Feb 28];322. Available from: https://books.google.com/books/about/Geographic_Thought.html?id=l-ztEAAAQBAJ

Lotfinejad N, Peters A, Tartari E, Fankhauser-Rodriguez C, Pires D, Pittet D. Hand hygiene in health care: 20 years of ongoing advances and perspectives. Lancet Infect Dis [Internet]. 2021 Aug 1 [cited 2025 Apr 28];21(8):e209-21. Available from: https://www.thelancet.com/action/showFullText?pii=S1473309921003832 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(21)00383-2

Pittet D. Hand hygiene: From research to action. J Infect Prev. 2017 May 1;18(3):100-2. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757177417705191

Sun KS, Lau TSM, Yeoh EK, Chung VCH, Leung YS, Yam CHK, et al. Effectiveness of different types and levels of social distancing measures: a scoping review of global evidence from an earlier stage of COVID-19 pandemic. BMJ Open [Internet]. 2022 Apr 11 [cited 2025 Apr 28];12(4):e053938. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9002256/ https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053938

Tso R V., Cowling BJ. Importance of Face Masks for COVID-19: A Call for Effective Public Education. Clin Infect Dis [Internet]. 2020 Nov 19 [cited 2025 Apr 28];71(16):2195-8. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa593 https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa593

Home Health Care Agencies | Provider Data Catalog [Internet]. [cited 2025 Apr 28]. Available from: https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/dataset/6jpm-sxkc

Kawuki J, Chan PSF, Fang Y, Chen S, Mo PKH, Wang Z. Knowledge and Practice of Personal Protective Measures Against COVID-19 in Africa: Systematic Review. JMIR Public Heal Surveill [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2025 Apr 28];9:e44051. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10198719/ https://doi.org/10.2196/44051

Mehtar S, Preiser W, Lakhe NA, Bousso A, TamFum JJM, Kallay O, et al. Limiting the spread of COVID-19 in Africa: One-size mitigation strategies do not fit all countries. Lancet Glob Heal. 2020 Jul 1;8(7):e881-3. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30212-6

Mwine P, Atuhaire I, Ahirirwe SR, Nansikombi HT, Senyange S, Elayeete S, et al. Readiness of health facilities to manage individuals infected with COVID-19, Uganda, June 2021. BMC Health Serv Res [Internet]. 2023 Dec 1 [cited 2025 Apr 28];23(1):441. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10159667/ https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09380-0

Ssempiira J, Kasirye I, Kissa J, Nambuusi B, Mukooyo E, Opigo J, et al. Measuring health facility readiness and its effects on severe malaria outcomes in Uganda. Sci Rep. 2018 Dec 1;8(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36249-8