Comparison of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers.
<h4>Objectives</h4>Healthcare workers face distinct occupational challenges that affect their personal health, especially during a pandemic. In this study we compare the characteristics and outcomes of Covid-19 patients who are and who are not healthcare workers (HCW).<h4>Methods&l...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2020-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241956 |
| _version_ | 1819040314113916928 |
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| author | Rachel Kim Sharon Nachman Rafael Fernandes Kristen Meyers Maria Taylor Debra LeBlanc Adam J Singer |
| author_facet | Rachel Kim Sharon Nachman Rafael Fernandes Kristen Meyers Maria Taylor Debra LeBlanc Adam J Singer |
| author_sort | Rachel Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Objectives</h4>Healthcare workers face distinct occupational challenges that affect their personal health, especially during a pandemic. In this study we compare the characteristics and outcomes of Covid-19 patients who are and who are not healthcare workers (HCW).<h4>Methods</h4>We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 2,842 adult patients with known HCW status and a positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test presenting to a large academic medical center emergency department (ED) in New York State from March 21 2020 through June 2020. Early in the pandemic we instituted a policy to collect data on patient occupation and exposures to suspected Covid-19. The primary outcome was hospital admission. Secondary outcomes were ICU admission, need for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), and mortality. We compared baseline characteristics and outcomes of Covid-19 adult patients based on whether they were or were not HCW using univariable and multivariable analyses.<h4>Results</h4>Of 2,842 adult patients (mean age 53+/-19 years, 53% male) 193 (6.8%) were HCWs and 2,649 (93.2%) were not HCWs. Compared with non-HCW, HCWs were younger (43 vs 53 years, P<0.001), more likely female (118/193 [61%] vs 1211/2649 [46%], P<0.001), and more likely to have a known Covid-19 exposure (161/193 [83%] vs 946/2649 [36%], P<0.001), but had fewer comorbidities. On presentation to the ED, HCW also had lower frequencies of tachypnea (12/193 [6%] vs 426/2649 [16%], P<0.01), hypoxemia (15/193 [8%] vs 564/2649 [21%], P<0.01), bilateral opacities on imaging (38/193 [20%] vs 1189/2649 [45%], P<0.001), and lymphocytopenia (6/193 [3%] vs 532/2649 [20%], P<0.01) compared to non-HCWs. Direct discharges home from the ED were more frequent in HCW 154/193 (80%) vs 1275/2649 (48%) p<0.001). Hospital admissions (38/193 [20%] vs 1264/2694 [47%], P<0.001), ICU admissions (7/193 [3%] vs 321/2694 [12%], P<0.001), need for IMV (6/193 [3%] vs 321/2694 [12%], P<0.001) and mortality (2/193 [1%] vs 219/2694 [8%], P<0.01) were lower than among non-HCW. After controlling for age, sex, comorbidities, presenting vital signs and radiographic imaging, HCW were less likely to be admitted (OR 0.6, 95%CI 0.3-0.9) than non HCW.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Compared with non HCW, HCW with Covid-19 were younger, had less severe illness, and were less likely to be admitted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T09:07:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-55d1414a60af418aa5dd0ef4163f2103 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T09:07:08Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-55d1414a60af418aa5dd0ef4163f21032022-12-21T19:09:18ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032020-01-011512e024195610.1371/journal.pone.0241956Comparison of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers.Rachel KimSharon NachmanRafael FernandesKristen MeyersMaria TaylorDebra LeBlancAdam J Singer<h4>Objectives</h4>Healthcare workers face distinct occupational challenges that affect their personal health, especially during a pandemic. In this study we compare the characteristics and outcomes of Covid-19 patients who are and who are not healthcare workers (HCW).<h4>Methods</h4>We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 2,842 adult patients with known HCW status and a positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test presenting to a large academic medical center emergency department (ED) in New York State from March 21 2020 through June 2020. Early in the pandemic we instituted a policy to collect data on patient occupation and exposures to suspected Covid-19. The primary outcome was hospital admission. Secondary outcomes were ICU admission, need for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), and mortality. We compared baseline characteristics and outcomes of Covid-19 adult patients based on whether they were or were not HCW using univariable and multivariable analyses.<h4>Results</h4>Of 2,842 adult patients (mean age 53+/-19 years, 53% male) 193 (6.8%) were HCWs and 2,649 (93.2%) were not HCWs. Compared with non-HCW, HCWs were younger (43 vs 53 years, P<0.001), more likely female (118/193 [61%] vs 1211/2649 [46%], P<0.001), and more likely to have a known Covid-19 exposure (161/193 [83%] vs 946/2649 [36%], P<0.001), but had fewer comorbidities. On presentation to the ED, HCW also had lower frequencies of tachypnea (12/193 [6%] vs 426/2649 [16%], P<0.01), hypoxemia (15/193 [8%] vs 564/2649 [21%], P<0.01), bilateral opacities on imaging (38/193 [20%] vs 1189/2649 [45%], P<0.001), and lymphocytopenia (6/193 [3%] vs 532/2649 [20%], P<0.01) compared to non-HCWs. Direct discharges home from the ED were more frequent in HCW 154/193 (80%) vs 1275/2649 (48%) p<0.001). Hospital admissions (38/193 [20%] vs 1264/2694 [47%], P<0.001), ICU admissions (7/193 [3%] vs 321/2694 [12%], P<0.001), need for IMV (6/193 [3%] vs 321/2694 [12%], P<0.001) and mortality (2/193 [1%] vs 219/2694 [8%], P<0.01) were lower than among non-HCW. After controlling for age, sex, comorbidities, presenting vital signs and radiographic imaging, HCW were less likely to be admitted (OR 0.6, 95%CI 0.3-0.9) than non HCW.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Compared with non HCW, HCW with Covid-19 were younger, had less severe illness, and were less likely to be admitted.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241956 |
| spellingShingle | Rachel Kim Sharon Nachman Rafael Fernandes Kristen Meyers Maria Taylor Debra LeBlanc Adam J Singer Comparison of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers. PLoS ONE |
| title | Comparison of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers. |
| title_full | Comparison of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers. |
| title_fullStr | Comparison of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparison of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers. |
| title_short | Comparison of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers. |
| title_sort | comparison of covid 19 infections among healthcare workers and non healthcare workers |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241956 |
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