Home isolation capacity after Covid-19 diagnosis in vulnerable communities of two Brazilian cities: TQT Covid-19 Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2026060006674Keywords:
Covid-19, Social Isolation, Public Health, Epidemiology, BrazilAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate factors associated with self-reported capacity to comply with home isolation after Covid-19 diagnosis in vulnerable communities in two Brazilian cities. METHODS: Cross-sectional study, with data from a study on the implementation of an intervention based on strategies of testing, isolation, quarantine, and telemonitoring (TQT) of Covid-19 in Primary Health Care in vulnerable neighborhoods (TQT Covid-19 Study). Demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral data were used to perform descriptive and logistic regression analyses, aiming to evaluate the factors associated with home isolation capacity. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 324 participants, most of them women (72.5%) and who self-reported to be Black or mixed-race (85.2%). Regarding level of education, 20.1% had up to elementary school degree; 42% had high school degree; and 37.9% had higher education or graduate degree. The density of people per room was high in 57.1% of households. In the multivariate analysis, high household density (≥ 0.5 residents/room) was significantly associated with reduced isolation capacity (ORa = 0.41; 95%CI 0.20–0.82). Other sociodemographic and behavioral variables, including age, sex, race/skin color, level of education, history of Covid-19 infection, access to health services, and preventive behaviors, did not present a statistically significant association. CONCLUSION: According to the study, housing conditions, especially high household density, can be a determinant for adherence to home isolation. Thus, innovative prevention strategies should combine educational and structural actions that consider the household context of vulnerable families.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Audêncio Victor, Fabiane Soares, Diana Zeballos, Thais Aranha Rossi, Joilson Nascimento Paim, Thiago Silva Torres, Debora Castanheira, Valdiléia Gonçalves Veloso, Inês Dourado, Laio Magno
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