ABO Rh Blood Groups and Socio-Demographic Factors in COVID-19 Susceptibility and Severity: A Cross-Sectional Survey in India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31674/mjmr.2025.v09i03.006Abstract
Introduction: Conflicting evidence regarding the association between blood groups with COVID-19 susceptibility as also Rh status implored investigation to determine the association between blood groups as also the effect of various sociodemographic factors on the severity and susceptibility of COVID-19. Methods: An online cross sectional survey using Google Form was used to recruit participants by snowball sampling method. The study included COVID-19 patients who were positive for the SARS-CoV-2 RNA test through RT-PCR from the nasopharyngeal swab between March 2020 and December 2021. Sample size was estimated using the formula for estimating proportion. Taking 20% as incomplete data forms, the final sample size worked out to be 167. However, finally a total of 259 patients and 518 controls were enrolled. Chi square for independence was used to find the association between COVID status and blood groups, rhesus status and some sociodemographic variables. Results: Blood group B was found to be associated with increased susceptibility while AB was found to have the least susceptibility to COVID-19 infection. Gender, educational status of the individual, place of residence (urban or rural) and use of air conditioner at home were found to be significantly associated with the COVID-19 status (p value < 0.05), whereas, rhesus status, smoking both active and passive, dietary habits of being veg/nonveg, pets at home, cow sheds in the vicinity were not found to have significant association with the COVID-19 status (p value > 0.05). Conclusion: The study reports blood group B, gender, educational status, place of residence and use of air conditioners to be significantly associated with COVID-19 infection. The non association of smoking status with COVID infection is an interesting finding along with the dietary habits and presence of pets not being associated with infection. The study findings provide evidence which may be considered for future modelling and developing forecasting algorithms for COVID-19 outbreaks.
Keywords:
ABO Blood Group, COVID-19, Rhesus Factor, Sociodemographic VariablesDownloads
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