Occupational risks associated with severe COVID-19 disease and SARS-CoV-2 infection – a Swedish national case-control study conducted from October 2020 to December 2021
(2023) In Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 49(6). p.386-394- Abstract
Objective This study aimed to investigate whether workplace factors and occupations are associated with SARSCoV-2 infection or severe COVID-19 in the later waves of the pandemic. Methods We studied 552 562 cases with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 in the Swedish registry of communicable diseases, and 5985 cases with severe COVID-19 based on hospital admissions from October 2020 to December 2021. Four population controls were assigned the index dates of their corresponding cases. We linked job histories to job-exposure matrices to assess the odds for different transmission dimensions and different occupations. We used adjusted conditional logistic analyses to estimate odds ratios (OR) for severe COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 with 95%... (More)
Objective This study aimed to investigate whether workplace factors and occupations are associated with SARSCoV-2 infection or severe COVID-19 in the later waves of the pandemic. Methods We studied 552 562 cases with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 in the Swedish registry of communicable diseases, and 5985 cases with severe COVID-19 based on hospital admissions from October 2020 to December 2021. Four population controls were assigned the index dates of their corresponding cases. We linked job histories to job-exposure matrices to assess the odds for different transmission dimensions and different occupations. We used adjusted conditional logistic analyses to estimate odds ratios (OR) for severe COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results The highest OR for severe COVID-19 were for: regular contact with infected patients, (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.23–1.54), close physical proximity (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.34–1.61), and high exposure to diseases or infections (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.52–1.96). Mostly working outside had lower OR (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.57–1.06). The odds for SARS-CoV-2 when mostly working outside were similar (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.80–0.86). The occupation with the highest OR for severe COVID-19 (compared with low-exposure occupations) was certified specialist physician (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.31–3.21) among women and bus and tram drivers (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.49–2.79) among men. Conclusions Contact with infected patients, close proximity and crowded workplaces increase the risks for severe COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Outdoor work is associated with decreased odds for SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19.
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- author
- Torén, Kjell ; Albin, Maria LU ; Bergström, Tomas ; Murgia, Nicola ; Alderling, Magnus ; Schiöler, Linus and Åberg, Maria
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023-09
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- coronavirus, epidemiology, JEM, job exposure matrix, occupation, workplace
- in
- Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
- volume
- 49
- issue
- 6
- pages
- 9 pages
- publisher
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85169293816
- pmid:37417898
- ISSN
- 0355-3140
- DOI
- 10.5271/sjweh.4103
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0ca0615b-3734-41ea-956c-afff6e2a24b6
- date added to LUP
- 2024-01-12 14:35:15
- date last changed
- 2024-04-27 09:57:16
@article{0ca0615b-3734-41ea-956c-afff6e2a24b6,
abstract = {{<p>Objective This study aimed to investigate whether workplace factors and occupations are associated with SARSCoV-2 infection or severe COVID-19 in the later waves of the pandemic. Methods We studied 552 562 cases with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 in the Swedish registry of communicable diseases, and 5985 cases with severe COVID-19 based on hospital admissions from October 2020 to December 2021. Four population controls were assigned the index dates of their corresponding cases. We linked job histories to job-exposure matrices to assess the odds for different transmission dimensions and different occupations. We used adjusted conditional logistic analyses to estimate odds ratios (OR) for severe COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results The highest OR for severe COVID-19 were for: regular contact with infected patients, (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.23–1.54), close physical proximity (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.34–1.61), and high exposure to diseases or infections (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.52–1.96). Mostly working outside had lower OR (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.57–1.06). The odds for SARS-CoV-2 when mostly working outside were similar (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.80–0.86). The occupation with the highest OR for severe COVID-19 (compared with low-exposure occupations) was certified specialist physician (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.31–3.21) among women and bus and tram drivers (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.49–2.79) among men. Conclusions Contact with infected patients, close proximity and crowded workplaces increase the risks for severe COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Outdoor work is associated with decreased odds for SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19.</p>}},
author = {{Torén, Kjell and Albin, Maria and Bergström, Tomas and Murgia, Nicola and Alderling, Magnus and Schiöler, Linus and Åberg, Maria}},
issn = {{0355-3140}},
keywords = {{coronavirus; epidemiology; JEM; job exposure matrix; occupation; workplace}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{6}},
pages = {{386--394}},
publisher = {{Finnish Institute of Occupational Health}},
series = {{Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health}},
title = {{Occupational risks associated with severe COVID-19 disease and SARS-CoV-2 infection – a Swedish national case-control study conducted from October 2020 to December 2021}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.4103}},
doi = {{10.5271/sjweh.4103}},
volume = {{49}},
year = {{2023}},
}