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Risks of COVID-19 by occupation in NHS workers in England.
van der Plaat, Diana A; Madan, Ira; Coggon, David; van Tongeren, Martie; Edge, Rhiannon; Muiry, Rupert; Parsons, Vaughan; Cullinan, Paul.
  • van der Plaat DA; National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.
  • Madan I; Occupational Health Service, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK ira.madan@kcl.ac.uk.
  • Coggon D; School of Population Health and Environmental Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
  • van Tongeren M; MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
  • Edge R; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
  • Muiry R; Lancaster Medical School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
  • Parsons V; Occupational Health Service, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
  • Cullinan P; Occupational Health Service, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Occup Environ Med ; 79(3): 176-183, 2022 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1379626
ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE:

To quantify occupational risks of COVID-19 among healthcare staff during the first wave (9 March 2020-31 July 2020) of the pandemic in England.

METHODS:

We used pseudonymised data on 902 813 individuals employed by 191 National Health Service trusts to explore demographic and occupational risk factors for sickness absence ascribed to COVID-19 (n=92 880). We estimated ORs by multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS:

With adjustment for employing trust, demographic characteristics and previous frequency of sickness absence, risk relative to administrative/clerical occupations was highest in 'additional clinical services' (care assistants and other occupations directly supporting those in clinical roles) (OR 2.31 (2.25 to 2.37)), registered nursing and midwifery professionals (OR 2.28 (2.23 to 2.34)) and allied health professionals (OR 1.94 (1.88 to 2.01)) and intermediate in doctors and dentists (OR 1.55 (1.50 to 1.61)). Differences in risk were higher after the employing trust had started to care for documented patients with COVID-19, and were reduced, but not eliminated, following additional adjustment for exposure to infected patients or materials, assessed by a job-exposure matrix. For prolonged COVID-19 sickness absence (episodes lasting >14 days), the variation in risk by staff group was somewhat greater.

CONCLUSIONS:

After allowance for possible bias and confounding by non-occupational exposures, we estimated that relative risks for COVID-19 among most patient-facing occupations were between 1.5 and 2.5. The highest risks were in those working in additional clinical services, nursing and midwifery and in allied health professions. Better protective measures for these staff groups should be a priority. COVID-19 may meet criteria for compensation as an occupational disease in some healthcare occupations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ISRCTN36352994.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Occupational Exposure / Health Personnel / Sick Leave / COVID-19 / Health Occupations Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Adult / Female / Humans / Male / Middle aged Country/Region as subject: Europa Language: English Journal: Occup Environ Med Journal subject: Occupational Medicine / Environmental Health Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Oemed-2021-107628

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Occupational Exposure / Health Personnel / Sick Leave / COVID-19 / Health Occupations Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Adult / Female / Humans / Male / Middle aged Country/Region as subject: Europa Language: English Journal: Occup Environ Med Journal subject: Occupational Medicine / Environmental Health Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Oemed-2021-107628