Dummy Variable Regression Analysis Of Age At Infection Of Covid-19 In South Africa
Matthew Chukwuma Michael
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Delta, Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria
Ashinze Akudo Nkpuruoma
Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi – Uku, Delta State, Nigeria.
Aniekwe, Stella Ebele
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
Subeno Okeoghene Theresa
Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi – Uku, Delta State, Nigeria.
Keywords: COVID-19, Categorical Regression, Age, Dummy Variable, South Africa
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has eaten deep into the world creating fear, hindering social life and bringing the world’s economy to complete jeopardy. South Africa is one of the worst hit countries in Africa and it has been suggested that risk of worst outcomes, including death, is gender related. This paper therefore models the relationship between the age at infection of COVID-19 and gender in South Africa. Data for the research were sourced from the reports of the National Department of Health, South Africa. The dummy variable regression model was fitted for the relationship between age at infection and gender of victims using MINITAB 17 with female gender serving as the reference variable and male gender serving as the comparison variable. An approximated 37% of the infected South Africans are females while 63% are males. A histogram (with normal curve) of age showed that the distribution of age at infection of COVID-19 in South Africa is approximately normal with mean, 41.787; standard error, 0.972; standard deviation, 15.916; minimum value 2.00; median value of 40.00; maximum value of 85,00 and mode, 34. The model estimated a mean value of 40.67 for the age at infection of females in South Africa. It showed that the mean age at infection of males is 1.78 higher than that of females. The mean age at infection of females is significant but the difference between the mean ages for the two genders is not statistically significant at 0.05 level of significance. It was recommended that all citizens within the age of 41.787 years should take more precaution and obey all preventive measures; women within 40.67 years should be more compliant to precautionary measures; vaccines and other medical care should mostly target persons of 34 years and vaccines should also be given to persons between 2 years and 85 years.