Retrospective study of COVID-19 outcomes among healthcare workers in Rivers State, Nigeria

Objective To determine the illness severity and mortality among COVID-19-infected healthcare workers (HCWs).Design A retrospective cohort study using population-level data. Secondary analysis was conducted on collated data from the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) at the State Minis...

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Main Authors: Golden Owhonda, Chidinma Eze-Emiri, Foster Patrick, Ezinne Igwe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2022-11-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/11/e061826.full
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author Golden Owhonda
Chidinma Eze-Emiri
Foster Patrick
Ezinne Igwe
author_facet Golden Owhonda
Chidinma Eze-Emiri
Foster Patrick
Ezinne Igwe
author_sort Golden Owhonda
collection DOAJ
description Objective To determine the illness severity and mortality among COVID-19-infected healthcare workers (HCWs).Design A retrospective cohort study using population-level data. Secondary analysis was conducted on collated data from the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) at the State Ministry of Health, Rivers State, Nigeria. Data were gathered from the COVID-19 patient database of the PHEOC on demographics, place of work, illness severity and outcome.Participants The cohort included all documented HCWs with confirmed COVID-19 infection (diagnosed by PCR).Primary and secondary outcome measures Illness severity defined as ‘hospitalisation required’ and treatment outcome labelled as ‘alive’ or ‘dead’ were the outcomes of interest.Results The mean age was 43 years and 50.5% of the cohort were female. Of the 301 HCWs infected, 187 patients were symptomatic with 32 requiring hospitalisation. Seven infected HCWs died of their COVID-19 infection, resulting in a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 2.3%. Population proportions for age groups, case presentation and mortality, would be significantly greater than those seen in the study population. Health professionals made up 79.7% (240) of the study cohort, with 68.8% (165) of them working at the teaching hospitals; the association between HCWs and health facilities they worked in, was significant. Symptomatic cases were more inclined to progress to severe illness (χ(1)2=15.219,α=<0.0001; adjusted OR (aOR) 10.658, 95% CI 2.494 to 45.552); patients also had greater odds of dying from COVID-19 (χ(5)2=13.7,α=0.003; aOR 1.079, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.141) per year increase in age adjusted for sex, case class and illness severity.Conclusions Frontl-ine HCWs are at an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 infections. In Nigeria, there is a higher risk of experiencing severe illness if symptomatic while infected with COVID-19. Preventive strategies, proper education and awareness must be put in place to protect HCWs.Objective To determine the illness severity and mortality among COVID-19-infected HCWs.
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spelling doaj.art-44d83475733941a98d88195432a5ebd42022-12-22T04:14:26ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-11-01121110.1136/bmjopen-2022-061826Retrospective study of COVID-19 outcomes among healthcare workers in Rivers State, NigeriaGolden Owhonda0Chidinma Eze-Emiri1Foster Patrick2Ezinne Igwe3Department of Public Health & Disease Control, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Port Harcourt, NigeriaDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State, NigeriaDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State, NigeriaUniversity of Wollongong Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, Wollongong, New South Wales, AustraliaObjective To determine the illness severity and mortality among COVID-19-infected healthcare workers (HCWs).Design A retrospective cohort study using population-level data. Secondary analysis was conducted on collated data from the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) at the State Ministry of Health, Rivers State, Nigeria. Data were gathered from the COVID-19 patient database of the PHEOC on demographics, place of work, illness severity and outcome.Participants The cohort included all documented HCWs with confirmed COVID-19 infection (diagnosed by PCR).Primary and secondary outcome measures Illness severity defined as ‘hospitalisation required’ and treatment outcome labelled as ‘alive’ or ‘dead’ were the outcomes of interest.Results The mean age was 43 years and 50.5% of the cohort were female. Of the 301 HCWs infected, 187 patients were symptomatic with 32 requiring hospitalisation. Seven infected HCWs died of their COVID-19 infection, resulting in a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 2.3%. Population proportions for age groups, case presentation and mortality, would be significantly greater than those seen in the study population. Health professionals made up 79.7% (240) of the study cohort, with 68.8% (165) of them working at the teaching hospitals; the association between HCWs and health facilities they worked in, was significant. Symptomatic cases were more inclined to progress to severe illness (χ(1)2=15.219,α=<0.0001; adjusted OR (aOR) 10.658, 95% CI 2.494 to 45.552); patients also had greater odds of dying from COVID-19 (χ(5)2=13.7,α=0.003; aOR 1.079, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.141) per year increase in age adjusted for sex, case class and illness severity.Conclusions Frontl-ine HCWs are at an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 infections. In Nigeria, there is a higher risk of experiencing severe illness if symptomatic while infected with COVID-19. Preventive strategies, proper education and awareness must be put in place to protect HCWs.Objective To determine the illness severity and mortality among COVID-19-infected HCWs.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/11/e061826.full
spellingShingle Golden Owhonda
Chidinma Eze-Emiri
Foster Patrick
Ezinne Igwe
Retrospective study of COVID-19 outcomes among healthcare workers in Rivers State, Nigeria
BMJ Open
title Retrospective study of COVID-19 outcomes among healthcare workers in Rivers State, Nigeria
title_full Retrospective study of COVID-19 outcomes among healthcare workers in Rivers State, Nigeria
title_fullStr Retrospective study of COVID-19 outcomes among healthcare workers in Rivers State, Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed Retrospective study of COVID-19 outcomes among healthcare workers in Rivers State, Nigeria
title_short Retrospective study of COVID-19 outcomes among healthcare workers in Rivers State, Nigeria
title_sort retrospective study of covid 19 outcomes among healthcare workers in rivers state nigeria
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/11/e061826.full
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