Risk Factors for COVID-19 Mortality in Malaysia

• Published in: The Malaysian journal of medical sciences 2022-12, Vol.29 (6), p.123-131
• Main Authors: Hanis, Tengku Muhammad, Arifin, Wan Nor, Musa, Kamarul Imran, Rodzlan Hasani, Wan Shakira, Che Nawi, Che Muhammad Nur Hidayat, Shahrani, Shahnon Anuar, Chen, Xin Wee, Suliman, Mohd Azmi, Ahmad Khan, Erwan Ershad, Ab Aziz, Wira Alfatah, Mat Said, Mohamad Zarudin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1394-195X; 2180-4303
• DOI: 10.21315/mjms2021.29.6.12

Understanding the risks of COVID-19 mortality helps in the planning and prevention of the disease. This study aimed to determine the risk factors for COVID-19 mortality in Malaysia. Secondary online data provided by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia and Malaysia's national COVID-19 immunisation programme were used: i) COVID-19 deaths data; ii) vaccination coverage data and iii) population estimate data. Quasi-Poisson regression was performed to determine the risk factors for COVID-19 mortality. Four risk factors were identified: i) vaccination status (partial versus unvaccinated, incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.54, 0.64; complete versus unvaccinated, IRR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.45, 0.56; booster versus unvaccinated, IRR: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.26); ii) age group (19 years old-59 years old versus above 60 years old, IRR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.84, 0.97; 13 years old-18 years old versus above 60 years old, IRR: 0.09; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.19; 6 years old-12 years old versus above 60 years old, IRR: 0.09; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.22; below 5 years old versus above 60 years old, IRR: 0.11; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.23); iii) gender (male versus female, IRR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.32) and iv) comorbidity (yes versus no, IRR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.96, 2.32). This study highlighted the risk factors for COVID-19 mortality and the benefit of COVID-19 vaccination, especially of booster vaccination, in reducing the risk of COVID-19 mortality in Malaysia.