The COVID-19 havoc and clues from Sex disaggregated data in the Indian population

Abstract

The coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) has created a turmoil across the globe, with India emerging as one of the worst-hit countries. The Global scenario indicates a gender bias with a higher COVID-19 Case fatality rate (CFR) in males as opposed to females. However, countries like India, Nepal, Vietnam and Slovenia have reported a reverse trend in mortality. Real-time disaggregated data empowers countries to design more effective, sustainable, and people-centered approaches to treat and prevent COVID-19. Our study aimed to procure sex-disaggregated data in the Indian population by using a google form based online health survey. We have analyzed parameters like age, gender, occupation, sex and severity of infection based on CT score, steroid dependence, need for hospitalization, etc. The responses were evaluated by descriptive statistics by excluding arbitrary correlation. We found that the males were at a significantly greater risk of severe disease and mortality (~ twice) than females. We also found that the males as compared to females, presented almost eighteen times the odds of requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission; reflecting severity of the infection. A sex-informed approach to COVID-19 research would reveal novel responses of the host immune system to SARS-CoV-2, which can then be utilized in formulation of policies for equitable health outcomes.