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Risk Factors for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among US Healthcare Personnel, May-December 2020
Insights
Healthcare workers face increased coronavirus disease (COVID-19) risk from close contact with infected individuals both inside and outside the workplace. Interventions should address these exposures to protect personnel.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Healthcare personnel (HCP) are at high risk of contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
- Understanding risk factors for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among HCP is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection among US healthcare personnel.
- To inform targeted interventions for protecting healthcare workers.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted using data from 345 infected HCP (cases) and 622 non-infected HCP (controls).
- Data on workplace activities and patient care, including close contact with COVID-19 patients and activities of daily living assistance, were collected.
- Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to calculate adjusted matched odds ratios for various exposures.
Main Results:
- Close contact with individuals with COVID-19 outside the workplace was a significant risk factor.
- Close contact with COVID-19 patients within the workplace also increased risk.
- Assisting COVID-19 patients with activities of daily living was identified as a contributing risk factor.
Conclusions:
- Both occupational and non-occupational exposures significantly contribute to COVID-19 risk among healthcare personnel.
- Future protective measures should encompass strategies to mitigate exposure risks both within healthcare settings and in the community.
- Enhanced protocols for safely assisting patients with daily living activities are necessary to reduce transmission risk.
Abstract:
To determine risk factors for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among US healthcare personnel (HCP), we conducted a case-control analysis. We collected data about activities outside the workplace and COVID-19 patient care activities from HCP with positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) test results (cases) and from HCP with negative test results (controls) in healthcare facilities in 5 US states. We used conditional logistic regression to calculate adjusted matched odds ratios and 95% CIs for exposures. Among 345 cases and 622 controls, factors associated with risk were having close contact with persons with COVID-19 outside the workplace, having close contact with COVID-19 patients in the workplace, and assisting COVID-19 patients with activities of daily living. Protecting HCP from COVID-19 may require interventions that reduce their exposures outside the workplace and improve their ability to more safely assist COVID-19 patients with activities of daily living.
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