COVID-19 related fears and adherence to infection control protocol amongst immunocompromised transplant recipients: A case study

Background & Objective: Transplant recipients are at a high risk of critical COVID-19 illness due to chronic immunosuppression and their underlying medical condition. Our objective was to study the COVID-19 related fears and adherence to infection control measures in solid organ transplant recipients during COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A descriptive study was conducted during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic (April- August 2020) in Punjab, Pakistan, as a part of province wide COVID-19 awareness drive 754 recipients registered at Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority (P-HOTA) for solid organ transplant were contacted telephonically and administered a self-constructed questionnaire. The participants’ response was linked to demographic, anthropometric and disease characteristics available in organizational data base.

Results: Seven hundred fifty four patients who had undergone transplant or were on list during the time period 2018-2020 were identified from data base of PHOTA. 648 patients were contacted while 80 were found to have expired post- transplant and 26 recipients were still on the waiting list. The median age was 31-40 years, with male predominance (5:1). A majority of patients (93%) were found to be well informed about corona infection and its impact on their illness (89%) but (59%) of the recipients had a fear score 25-34(severe) of acquiring infection with female predominance (61%). All the recipients adhered to measures like wearing masks, frequent hand washing and maintaining safe distance .65.9% patient’s preferred online consultation while (77.9%) patients left their shoes outside their house.

Conclusion: During the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic Solid Organ Transplant patients seemed well informed of COVID-19 infection and adhered to precautionary measures against the infections. About 78% of recipients reported that their health and quality of health care (61.1%) during this period remained the same while 3.4% reported of being infected or a contact history with COVID-19 patients