FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH HOME BASED CARE SERVICES IN THE CONTROL OF COVID-19 INFECTION IN SHEEMA MUNICIPALITY, SHEEMA DISTRICT. A RESTROSPECTIVE STUDY.

Introduction: Home care and home health companies offer a range of services to help people stay safe in their homes, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, personal care support, and transportation. Objective: The study analyzed COVID-19 suspects' use of Home Based Care (HBC), identified social, demographic, economic, and environmental factors, and established policies for HBC agencies. Methodology: A study involving 394 participants aged 10-80 with mild COVID-19 symptoms in home care examined factors related to home-based care services and COVID-19 infection control using logistic regression analyses. Results: Of the 394 home care participants in the research, 80.2% were able to control their COVID infection. HBC-related factors were washing hands with soap and water, keeping a safe distance from coworkers, wearing masks, taking precautions, touching the mouth, nose, or eyes with dirty hands, and people who were unable to recall or found it difficult to break bad habits. Participants who used masks when they were out of the house most of the time (about 75% of the time) had a 95% lower chance of controlling their COVID-19 infection, according to the multivariate analysis (aOR=0.05; 95%CI (0.0-0.41); p=0.005). The odds of controlling a COVID-19 infection were 98% lower for participants who occasionally (about 25% of the time) used masks when they were outside (aOR=0.02; 95%CI (0.0-0.3); p=0.005) and 92% lower for participants who mainly (approximately 75% of the time) followed precautions when making purchases to prevent virus contamination. Conclusion: Home Based Care significantly impacted COVID-19 infection control, with 80.2% of participants using services, highlighting its importance in maintaining continuity of care, especially for vulnerable individuals. Recommendations: The study suggests that global implementation of evidence-based practice guidelines and federal policy changes can enhance preparedness for future disasters and pandemics. Uganda's Ministry of Health should strengthen these strategies, including home-based care services