Online survey results among social network users in terms of the COVID-19 problem

Abstract

Aim. An online survey among social network users was conducted to assess the frequency of COVID-19 cases, the spectrum of medications used for treatment, and the subjective assessment of clinical manifestations of the disease.

Material and methods. Аn anonymous online survey was conducted among users of various social networks using a questionnaire created on the SurveyMonkey survey and research platform. During the first month of December 2021, the survey included 23 questions regarding the clinical and demographic characteristics of respondents, the number of COVID-19 cases, clinical manifestations, and severity, as well as the need for medical help and medication.

Results. 752 respondents took part in the online survey, more than 70% of them are under 50 years old. Among the respondents 59.73% had a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19). More than 40% of the participants had COVID-19 in the period from September 2020 to April 2021 (2nd wave in Russia). In 79.2% of people, the presence of a new coronavirus infection was confirmed by one of the diagnostic methods: polymerase chain reaction (PCR test), radiography, the presence of antibodies to Ig G/M, and took into account the presence of contact with infected SARS-CoV-2. 411 participants observed any clinical manifestations of the disease. Most often respondents who had COVID-19 indicated weakness, cough, dyspnea, disappearance or decrease in the acuity of smell and taste. The volume of lung tissue damage in 36.5% of cases was less than 25%. The disappearance of any clinical manifestations of the disease immediately after recovery was noted by 32.0% of respondents. Most of the patients (59.2%) sought medical help at the polyclinic, 38.9% had to self-medicate. 71.9% respondents indicated they had been vaccinated against COVID-19, but without specifying the timing and completeness of the course. Side effects after immunization (fever, weakness, soreness, and redness at the injection site) were subjectively assessed by 41.9% of respondents.

Conclusion. Among the surveyed respondents, 62.7% of the disease symptoms were mild. The highest number of cases occurred in the 2nd and 4th waves of COVID-19 morbidity in Russia. Most often respondents indicated symptoms of acute respiratory infection. The complete disappearance of clinical manifestations of the disease immediately after recovery was noted by 32.0 % of respondents, and the persistence of symptoms for up to a year – 7.5. More than 70% of the participants in the online survey reported vaccination against COVID-19, but the questionnaire did not include questions about the timing of vaccinations (before or after COVID-19) and the completeness of the course.

Keywords:COVID-19; vaccination; incidence; spread of a new coronavirus infection; prevention

Funding. The study was conducted with the framework of promising scientific research of the Saratov State Medical University named after V.I. Razumovsky of the Ministry of Health of Russian Federation in cooperation with the Samarkand State Medical Institute of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan grant No. INTL-SARGMU-SAMGMI-2021-03 “Prognosis of development and personalized therapy of cardiovascular diseases in patients, including those who have undergone COVID-19, based on clinical, laboratory, psychosocial factors and the use of information technology”.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Contribution. Investigation and recruitment of patients, data collection, writing – original draft, editing – Tyapayeva A.R.; study conception and study design, final manuscript approval – Naumova E.A.; data collection – Semenova O.N.

For citation: Tyapayeva A.R., Naumova E.A., Semenova O.N. Online survey results among social network users in terms of the COVID-19 problem. Infektsionnye bolezni: novosti, mneniya, obuchenie [Infectious Diseases: News, Opinions, Training]. 2023; 12 (1): 26–33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33029/2305-3496-2023-12-1-26-33 (in Russian)

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CHIEF EDITOR
Aleksandr V. Gorelov
Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, MD, Head of Infection Diseases and Epidemiology Department of the Scientific and Educational Institute of Clinical Medicine named after N.A. Semashko ofRussian University of Medicine, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Professor of the Department of Childhood Diseases, Clinical Institute of Children's Health named after N.F. Filatov, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Deputy Director for Research, Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Rospotrebnadzor (Moscow, Russian Federation)

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