The vaccination characteristics and mortal causes analysis of COVID-19 deaths at a district level

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to analyze some demographic characteristics, vaccination status, and mortal causes of COVID-19 deaths retrospectively at a district level. Material and Method: This cross-sectional study retrospectively analyzed 357 COVID -19 deaths between March 11, 2020, and April 30, 2022, in a large district of Istanbul with low socioeconomic status. Age, sex, marital status, date of death, causes of death, vaccination status and dates, and PCR test data (considered diagnostic data) were obtained from the District Health Directorate records. Results: More than half of those who died were male (51.8%). The mean age was 71.1±13.3 years. As age increases, the death number also increases. 72.0% of all deaths were over 65 years old. The marital status of more than half of the deaths (54.8%) was married. 71.7% of all deaths were unvaccinated. Of those vaccinated among deaths, 85.4% received all vaccine doses with only inactivated virus vaccine. The mean time from diagnosis (PCR positive date) to death for COVID-19 deaths is 14.3±11.0 days. The mean time from the last vaccination date to death in the vaccinated group was 123.2±90.8 days. This period was statistically significantly different between those who received a single dose of vaccine and those who received two or more doses. Most COVID-19 deaths (67.5%) were caused by respiratory diseases. Among the causes of death coded with the ICD-10 diagnosis code in the death notification system, 53.8% of the deceased had a comorbid condition. Conclusion: The most striking result of our investigations is that most COVID-19 deaths were unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated. Those who were vaccinated were mostly immunized with inactivated vaccines. Based on the results, it can be concluded that vaccines effectively protect COVID-19 patients from death. However, the preventive effect of inactivated vaccines against death in COVID-19 is limited.