Cohort Profile: The United Kingdom Research study into Ethnicity And COVID-19 outcomes in Healthcare workers (UK-REACH) (preprint)

ABSTRACT

Key Features of the UK-REACH Cohort (Profile in a nutshell) The UK-REACH Cohort was established to understand why ethnic minority healthcare workers (HCWs) are at risk of poorer outcomes from COVID-19 when compared to their white ethnic counterparts in the United Kingdom (UK). Through study design, it contains a uniquely high percentage of participants from ethnic minority backgrounds about whom a wide range of qualitative and quantitative data has been collected. A total of 17891 HCWs aged 16-89 years (mean age 44) have been recruited from across the UK via all major healthcare regulators, individual National Health Service (NHS) hospital trusts and UK HCW membership bodies who advertised the study to their registrants/staff to encourage participation in the study. Data available include linked healthcare records for 25 years from the date of consent and consent to obtain genomic sequencing data collected via saliva. Online questionnaires include information on demographics, COVID-19 exposures at work and home, redeployment in the workforce due to COVID-19, mental health measures, workforce attrition, and opinions on COVID-19 vaccines, with baseline (n=15 119), 6 (n=5632) and 12-month follow-up data captured. Request data access and collaborations by following documentation found at https//www.uk-reach.org/main/data_sharing.