Keywords: COVID-19; primary health care; PRICOV-19; quality of care; infection prevention and control; patient safety; family medicine; infectious diseases

Aim:

The global crisis of COVID-19 has prompted comprehensive research into its impact, with studies uncovering varied occurrence and mortality rates. This study seeks to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 among the general population based on self-reported symptoms and testing while also examining the association of prevalence with demographic, health, and epidemiological factors.

Method:

We carried out a cross-sectional survey with citizens of Prishtina, the capital city of Kosovo. We calculated the prevalence of self-reported COVID-19 symptoms and positive tests among the citizens, as well as crude and adjusted ORs examining the association of COVID-19 infection with explanatory factors, including the protection and exposure coefficient.

Results:

26.7 percent of respondents who underwent testing were COVID-19 positive. 52.1 percent of the total sample size reported experiencing symptoms indicative of COVID-19. 47.2 percent of the total household members were reported to have been infected with COVID-19. For individuals who underwent COVID-19 testing, higher odds for infection were found among individuals with infected household members (aOR, 3.51; 95%CI, 2.29-5.39). For individuals who reported COVID-19 symptoms, higher odds for infection were found among urban residents (aOR, 1.528; 95%CI, 1.129-2.070), individuals with infected household members (aOR, 2.528; 95%CI, 2.000-3.196), higher exposure coefficient (aOR, 2.199; 95%CI, 1.417-3.411), and existing health conditions (aOR, 2.215; 95%CI, 1.501-3.269).

Conclusions:

This study highlights the prevalence of COVID-19 in Prishtina based on self-reported symptoms and testing. It emphasises the significance of factors like existing health conditions, household size, epidemiologic behaviour, and the number of infected members as important determinants of COVID-19 incidence. This underscores the need for tailored public health strategies addressing specific vulnerabilities in different population segments. These insights offer a valuable foundation for refining mitigation measures and resource allocation in Prishtina, serving as a template for similar studies in other urban settings affected by the pandemic.