Housing conditions and care system as determinants of the intra-family transmission of COVID-19

Case-control study in Castilla y León

Abstract

Background: The health of people can be affected by the habitability of their home conditions and the dynamics of family care in home. The aim of this work was to calculate the intrafamily secondary attack rate (TAS) in Castilla y León and its relationship with characteristics of the living places and the cohabitants.

Methods: Multicenter case-control study in Covid-19 patients through telephone interview. Case: person in whose house there was more than one Covid-19 positive during the study period. TAS was calculated and univariate and multivariate analyzes were performed.

Results: TAS calculated was 29.8%. The risk was higher for each increase in one unit in the number of co-inhabitants (OR=3.1); if stays were shared (OR=4.43); if ventilating the temperature worsened (OR=3.8) and if there were dependents at home (OR=3.2).

Conclusions: The search for housing vulnerable to Covid-19 accompanied by fast, close measures and interventions on the social determinants of health can reduce the TAS of the disease.