Analysis of the demographic profile and influences on the prognosis of COVID-19 treated at a public hospital

Objectives: The objectives of this retrospective cross-sectional study were to evaluate the demographic profile and aggravating factors in the prognosis of patients with COVID-19 in the years 2020 and 2022. Methods: From the analysis of medical records, data were collected on age, sex, race, and municipality of residence, as well as dates of onset of symptoms, positive test result and length of hospitalization. Demographic data were analyzed qualitatively, while information on the presence of comorbidities and their influence on length of hospitalization, disease outcome and need for ICU admission were assessed using Pearson's correlation test. Student's t-test was used to compare the two analyzed moments, relating the age of patients and the progression of the disease from the onset of symptoms to the positive test result and finally clinical outcome. Results: Among the most common comorbidities, hypertension had an influence on prognosis, as did the age and sex of the patients, with a higher prevalence of male patients over the age of 64. Vaccinated patients had a better prognosis when compared to those who were unvaccinated. Conclusion: The findings highlight the continued need for public health strategies, including vaccination against COVID-19, risk monitoring and measures for vulnerable groups.