Age Group-Based Mean Differences in Recovery Speed from COVID-19 Infection Mpumalanga Province

Abstract

The aim of this analysis was to examine mean differences in the speed of recovery (days) from COVID-19 infection by case-patients among age groups in Mpumalanga province. A sample of 5723 case-patients distributed among ten distinct age groups, beginning from 0-9 years. Using the date at which the result confirming positivity for each case was received and the date at which discharge occurred, the DATEDIF() function in Microsoft Excel was used to calculate the speed of recovery, measured by number of days. Time from infection to recovery was therefore measured as the number of days from first positive to first negative SARSCoV-2 PCR test result. Data was processed in both Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) prior to conducting statistical data analysis. The mean differences in the speed of recovery among age groups were analysed using the mean comparison Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) method. Age groups 0-9 years and 40-49 years had the longest average recovery speed of 17.32 ±8.84 days and 17.22 ±7.88 days; respectively, while the age group 70-79 years had the fastest average recovery speed of 15.43 ±4.51 days. ANOVA results show no statistical evidence that the mean recovery speed (days) from differed significantly among age groups (F _{(8, 5714}) statistic (= 0.932; p > 0.05) at 5% significance level.

Key words: Age group mean differences, recovery speed, Covid 19, Mpumalanga Province

DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/80-19

Publication date:September 30^th 2020