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COVID-19 risk factors: a rapid summary

Details:

Authors: Evidence Service

Published on: 1st January 2020

Next update: Update not planned

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Introduction

We conducted this rapid summary during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to determine the current state of knowledge about which sections of the population and in which settings there are increased risks of infection, hospitalisation, intensive care admission, and death from COVID-19.

Main points

How up to date is this evidence?

Searches for this rapid summary were conducted in October 2020 and includes evidence from 2020.

What we found

The evidence identified indicated the following risk factors relating to COVID-19:

Testing positive

  • Probable risk factors: Black and Asian ethnicity

Hospitalisation

  • Probable risk factors: age, male gender, obesity, chronic kidney disease
  • Possible risk factor: Black ethnicity, former smokers, homelessness, higher social deprivation, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease/ dementia

Intensive care admission

  • Probable risk factors: obesity
  • Possible risk factor: age, male gender, obesity, chronic kidney disease

Death

  • Probable risk factors: age, male gender, obesity, chronic kidney disease
  • Possible risk factor: Asian ethnicity, former smokers, smoking history, higher social deprivation, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, COPD, liver disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease/ dementia, neurological disorders.

What this means

This work helps clarify how increased transmission may raise COVID-19 risks in certain ethnic groups. It also points to some evidence related to wider determinants that may add useful knowledge.

The summary confirms known risk factors, including:

  • Age
  • Male gender
  • Obesity

Technical information

This summary is useful to identify current risk factor estimates provided in systematic reviews. The review addressed:

  1. Which population groups are most likely to test positive for COVID-19?
  2. Individuals from which settings are most likely to test positive for COVID-19?
  3. Which population groups are at higher risk of being hospitalised because of COVID-19 infection?
  4. Which population groups are at higher risk of needing treatment in intensive care because of COVID-19 infection?
  5. Which population groups are at higher risk of dying from COVID-19 infection?

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