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Occupational risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection : a nationwide register-based study of the Danish workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020-2021

Bonde, Jens Peter Ellekilde ; Begtrup, Luise Moelenberg ; Jensen, Johan Høy ; Flachs, Esben Meulengracht ; Schlünssen, Vivi ; Kolstad, Henrik A ; Jakobsson, Kristina LU ; Nielsen, Christel LU orcid ; Nilsson, Kerstin LU orcid and Rylander, Lars LU orcid , et al. (2023) In Occupational and Environmental Medicine 80(4). p.202-208
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Most earlier studies on occupational risk of COVID-19 covering the entire workforce are based on relatively rare outcomes such as hospital admission and mortality. This study examines the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupational group based on real-time PCR (RT-PCR) tests.

METHODS: The cohort includes 2.4 million Danish employees, 20-69 years of age. All data were retrieved from public registries. The incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of first-occurring positive RT-PCR test from week 8 of 2020 to week 50 of 2021 were computed by Poisson regression for each four-digit Danish Version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations job code with more than 100 male and 100 female employees (n=205).... (More)

OBJECTIVE: Most earlier studies on occupational risk of COVID-19 covering the entire workforce are based on relatively rare outcomes such as hospital admission and mortality. This study examines the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupational group based on real-time PCR (RT-PCR) tests.

METHODS: The cohort includes 2.4 million Danish employees, 20-69 years of age. All data were retrieved from public registries. The incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of first-occurring positive RT-PCR test from week 8 of 2020 to week 50 of 2021 were computed by Poisson regression for each four-digit Danish Version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations job code with more than 100 male and 100 female employees (n=205). Occupational groups with low risk of workplace infection according to a job exposure matrix constituted the reference group. Risk estimates were adjusted by demographic, social and health characteristics including household size, completed COVID-19 vaccination, pandemic wave and occupation-specific frequency of testing.

RESULTS: IRRs of SARS-CoV-2 infection were elevated in seven healthcare occupations and 42 occupations in other sectors, mainly social work activities, residential care, education, defence and security, accommodation and transportation. No IRRs exceeded 2.0. The relative risk in healthcare, residential care and defence/security declined across pandemic waves. Decreased IRRs were observed in 12 occupations.

DISCUSSION: We observed a modestly increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among employees in numerous occupations, indicating a large potential for preventive actions. Cautious interpretation of observed risk in specific occupations is needed because of methodological issues inherent in analyses of RT-PCR test results and because of multiple statistical tests.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
epidemiology, occupational health, viruses
in
Occupational and Environmental Medicine
volume
80
issue
4
pages
7 pages
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85150311258
  • pmid:36813540
ISSN
1470-7926
DOI
10.1136/oemed-2022-108713
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4af3788a-5f6a-41cc-be9c-a8a44e018088
date added to LUP
2023-02-25 08:19:56
date last changed
2024-06-16 02:12:17
@article{4af3788a-5f6a-41cc-be9c-a8a44e018088,
  abstract     = {{<p>OBJECTIVE: Most earlier studies on occupational risk of COVID-19 covering the entire workforce are based on relatively rare outcomes such as hospital admission and mortality. This study examines the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupational group based on real-time PCR (RT-PCR) tests.</p><p>METHODS: The cohort includes 2.4 million Danish employees, 20-69 years of age. All data were retrieved from public registries. The incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of first-occurring positive RT-PCR test from week 8 of 2020 to week 50 of 2021 were computed by Poisson regression for each four-digit Danish Version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations job code with more than 100 male and 100 female employees (n=205). Occupational groups with low risk of workplace infection according to a job exposure matrix constituted the reference group. Risk estimates were adjusted by demographic, social and health characteristics including household size, completed COVID-19 vaccination, pandemic wave and occupation-specific frequency of testing.</p><p>RESULTS: IRRs of SARS-CoV-2 infection were elevated in seven healthcare occupations and 42 occupations in other sectors, mainly social work activities, residential care, education, defence and security, accommodation and transportation. No IRRs exceeded 2.0. The relative risk in healthcare, residential care and defence/security declined across pandemic waves. Decreased IRRs were observed in 12 occupations.</p><p>DISCUSSION: We observed a modestly increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among employees in numerous occupations, indicating a large potential for preventive actions. Cautious interpretation of observed risk in specific occupations is needed because of methodological issues inherent in analyses of RT-PCR test results and because of multiple statistical tests.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bonde, Jens Peter Ellekilde and Begtrup, Luise Moelenberg and Jensen, Johan Høy and Flachs, Esben Meulengracht and Schlünssen, Vivi and Kolstad, Henrik A and Jakobsson, Kristina and Nielsen, Christel and Nilsson, Kerstin and Rylander, Lars and Vilhelmsson, Andreas and Petersen, Kajsa Kirstine Ugelvig and Soegaard Toettenborg, Sandra}},
  issn         = {{1470-7926}},
  keywords     = {{epidemiology; occupational health; viruses}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{202--208}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Occupational and Environmental Medicine}},
  title        = {{Occupational risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection : a nationwide register-based study of the Danish workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020-2021}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2022-108713}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/oemed-2022-108713}},
  volume       = {{80}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}