Risk factors and frequency of COVID-19 among healthcare workers at a tertiary care centre in India: a case-control study.
Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg
; 115(5): 551-556, 2021 05 08.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1149967
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
There is a paucity of data on risk factors for infection among healthcare workers (HCWs) from India. Our objective was to evaluate the risk factors and frequency of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among HCWs.METHODS:
We conducted this retrospective case-control study of 3100 HCWs between May and July 2020. HCWs positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection were the cases (n=506) and those negative for SARS-CoV-2 were the controls (n=253). Univariate analysis was followed by multivariate analysis of key demographic, clinical and infection control variables.RESULTS:
SARS-CoV-2 infection was found in 16.32% of HCWs. Nearly 45% of infected HCWs were asymptomatic. The proportions of sanitation workers (24% vs 8%; p<0.0001) and technicians (10% vs 4%; p=0.0002) were higher and that of doctors was lower among cases as compared with controls (23% vs 43%; p<0.0001). On univariate analysis, the type of HCW, smoking, lack of training, inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) use and taking no or fewer doses of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) were found to be significant. On multivariate analysis, the type of HCW (risk ratio [RR] 1.67 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.34 to 2.08], p<0.0001), inappropriate PPE use (RR 0.63 [95% CI 0.44 to 0.89], p=0.01) and taking fewer doses of HCQ (RR 0.92 [95% CI 0.86 to 0.99], p=0.03) were significant.CONCLUSIONS:
The frequency of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 16% among HCWs. Being a sanitation worker, inappropriate PPE use and lack of HCQ prophylaxis predisposed HCWs to SARS-CoV-2 infection.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Health Personnel
/
Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional
/
Personal Protective Equipment
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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