ALAMA COVID-19 MEDICAL RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL - KOSOVO DEMOGRAPHIC EXPERIENCE

Authors

  • Aferdita Kurti Meta National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo, Prishtina, Kosovo
  • Fimka Tozija Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia
  • Vesna Stefanovska-Velikj Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia

Keywords:

Key words: risk assessment, COVID-19, ALAMA methodology.

Abstract

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the newly discovered Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Aim: In our study, we aimed to present the Kosovo’s COVID-19 pandemic experience using the ALAMA COVID-19 Medical Risk Assessment tool to evaluate overall vulnerability as а part of the health assessment of fitness for work related to gender and age groups.

Material and methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted during a period of two years (2020-2021) on a national sample of 200 patients with COVID-19 treated at the Clinical Center in Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo. All patients had a confirmed COVID-19 positive status by RC-PCR test.

Results: The average vulnerability of ALAMA COVID-19 Medical Risk Assessment score in the study group of patients was 46.42±19.92, with min/max of 20/85, and 50% of the patients had an ALAMA COVID-19 score of ≤43 (low vulnerability), with a median IQR = 43 (28-65). The average ALAMA COVID-19 score was higher in males compared to females: 50.21±20.09 vs. 42.74±19.14, respectively. Approximately 25% of males had an ALAMA COVID-19 score >70 (high vulnerability) compared to 25% of females with a score > 57 (moderate vulnerability). The ALAMA COVID-19 Medical Risk Assessment tool showed significantly higher vulnerability in male compared to female patients (p=0.0065).

            Discussion: The ALAMA COVID-19 Medical Risk Assessment tool showed significantly higher vulnerability in male compared to female patients.

References

COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic. Worldometer [Internet]. Available from: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ [cited 2020 Nov 1].

Burke RM, Midgley CM, Dratch A, Fenstersheib M, Haupt T, Holshue M, et al. Active Monitoring of Persons Exposed to Patients with Confirmed COVID-19 - United States, January-February 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020; 69(9): 245-246. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6909e1.

Ong SWX, Tan YK, Chia PY, Lee TH, Ng OT, Wong MSY, et al. Air, Surface Environmental, and Personal Protective Equipment Contamination by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) From a Symptomatic Patient. JAMA 2020; 323(16): 1610-1612. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.3227.

Lauer SA, Grantz KH, Bi Q, Jones FK, Zheng Q, Meredith HR, et al. The Incubation Period of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) From Publicly Reported Confirmed Cases: Estimation and Application. Ann Intern Med 2020; 172(9): 577-582. doi: 10.7326/M20-0504.

Liu Y, Yan LM, Wan L, Xiang TX, Le A, Liu JM, et al. Viral dynamics in mild and severe cases of COVID-19. Lancet Infect Dis 2020; 20(6): 656-657. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30232-2.

Yee J, Kim W, Han JM, Yoon HY, Lee N, Lee KE, et al. Clinical manifestations and perinatal outcomes of pregnant women with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2020; 10(1): 18126. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-75096-4.

Ceccarelli M, Berretta M, Venanzi Rullo E, Nunnari G, Cacopardo B. Differences and similarities between Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-CoronaVirus (CoV) and SARS-CoV-2. Would a rose by another name smell as sweet? Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2020; 24(5): 2781-2783. doi:10.26355/eurrev_202003_20551.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms. CDC [Internet]. 2020. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html [cited 2020 Sep 1].

Wathelet M, Duhem S, Vaiva G, Baubet T, Habran E, Veerapa E, et al. Factors Associated With Mental Health Disorders Among University Students in France Confined During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3(10): e2025591. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.25591.

Reynolds, Matt (4 March 2020). "What is coronavirus and how close is it to becoming a pandemic?". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.

Bigiani L, Bigiani S, Bigiani A. How to minimize the impact of pandemic events: lessons from the COVID-19 crisis. Int J Health Policy Manag 2020; 9(11): 469-474. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.115.

Stockman LJ, Bellamy R, Garner P. SARS: systematic review of treatment effects. PLoS Med 2006; 3(9): e343. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0030343.

Jeyanathan M, Afkhami S, Smaill F, Miller MS, Lichty BD, Xing Z. Immunological considerations for COVID-19 vaccine strategies. Nat Rev Immunol 2020; 20(10): 615-632. doi: 10.1038/s41577-020-00434-6.

Ahrenfeldt LJ, Nielsen CR, Möller S, Christensen K, Lindahl-Jacobsen R. Burden and prevalence of risk factors for severe COVID-19 in the ageing European population - a SHARE-based analysis. Z Gesundh Wiss 2022; 30(9): 2081-2090. doi: 10.1007/s10389-021-01537-7

Okasako-Schmucker DL, Weissman D, Mazurek J, et al. Brief summary of findings on the association between interstitial lung diseases and severe COVID-19 outcomes. CDC COVID-19 Scientific Brief. 2021 Oct.

Hill AL, Whitfield G, Morford M, et al. Brief summary of findings on the association between physical inactivity and severe COVID-19 outcomes. CDC COVID-19 Scientific Brief.

Morford M, Green RF, Drzymalla E, et al. Brief summary of findings on the association between underlying primary immunodeficiency and severe COVID-19 outcomes. CDC COVID-19 Scientific Brief.

Wassef M, Weissman D, Mazurek J, et al. Brief summary of findings on the association between a history of pulmonary embolism or pulmonary hypertension and severe COVID-19 outcomes. CDC COVID-19 Scientific Brief. 2021 Oct.

Kumasaka JK, Jereb JA, Stone E, et al. Brief summary of findings on the association between tuberculosis and severe COVID-19 outcomes. CDC COVID-19 Scientific Brief. 2021 Oct.

Morford M, Weissman D, Mazurek J, et al. Brief summary of findings on the association between alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and severe COVID-19 outcomes. CDC COVID-19 Scientific Brief. 2021 Oct.

Henry MC, Weissman D, Mazurek J, et al. Brief summary of findings on the association between underlying bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and severe COVID-19 outcomes. CDC COVID-19 Scientific Brief. 2021 Oct.

Downloads

Published

2025-07-18

Issue

Section

Original Articles