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Occupational risk of COVID-19 in foreign-born employees in Denmark

Bonde, J P E ; Begtrup, L M ; Jensen, J H ; Flachs, E M ; Jakobsson, K ; Nielsen, C LU orcid ; Nilsson, K LU orcid ; Rylander, L LU orcid ; Vilhelmsson, A LU orcid and Petersen, K U , et al. (2023) In Occupational Medicine
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Foreign-born workers in high-income countries experience higher rates of COVID-19 but the causes are only partially known.

AIMS: To examine if the occupational risk of COVID-19 in foreign-born workers deviates from the risk in native-born employees in Denmark.

METHODS: Within a registry-based cohort of all residents employed in Denmark (n = 2 451 542), we identified four-digit DISCO-08 occupations associated with an increased incidence of COVID-19-related hospital admission during 2020-21 (at-risk occupations). The sex-specific prevalence of at-risk employment in foreign born was compared with the prevalence in native born. Moreover, we examined if the country of birth modified the risk of a positive SARS-CoV-2... (More)

BACKGROUND: Foreign-born workers in high-income countries experience higher rates of COVID-19 but the causes are only partially known.

AIMS: To examine if the occupational risk of COVID-19 in foreign-born workers deviates from the risk in native-born employees in Denmark.

METHODS: Within a registry-based cohort of all residents employed in Denmark (n = 2 451 542), we identified four-digit DISCO-08 occupations associated with an increased incidence of COVID-19-related hospital admission during 2020-21 (at-risk occupations). The sex-specific prevalence of at-risk employment in foreign born was compared with the prevalence in native born. Moreover, we examined if the country of birth modified the risk of a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and COVID-19-related hospital admission in at-risk occupations.

RESULTS: Workers born in low-income countries and male workers from Eastern Europe more often worked in at-risk occupations (relative risks between 1.16 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.14-1.17] and 1.87 [95% CI 1.82-1.90]). Being foreign-born modified the adjusted risk of PCR test positivity (test for interaction P < 0.0001), primarily because of higher risk in at-risk occupations among men born in Eastern European countries (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 2.39 [95% CI 2.09-2.72] versus IRR 1.19 [95% CI 1.14-1.23] in native-born men). For COVID-19-related hospital admission, no overall interaction was seen, and in women, country of birth did not consistently modify the occupational risk.

CONCLUSIONS: Workplace viral transmission may contribute to an excess risk of COVID-19 in male workers born in Eastern Europe, but most foreign-born employees in at-risk occupations seem not to be at higher occupational risk than native born.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
in
Occupational Medicine
pages
8 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85185400145
  • pmid:37133767
ISSN
0962-7480
DOI
10.1093/occmed/kqad044
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6bbca5d3-ea55-4f9b-9dc6-49aa145a405c
date added to LUP
2023-05-15 09:49:37
date last changed
2024-04-17 13:43:01
@article{6bbca5d3-ea55-4f9b-9dc6-49aa145a405c,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Foreign-born workers in high-income countries experience higher rates of COVID-19 but the causes are only partially known.</p><p>AIMS: To examine if the occupational risk of COVID-19 in foreign-born workers deviates from the risk in native-born employees in Denmark.</p><p>METHODS: Within a registry-based cohort of all residents employed in Denmark (n = 2 451 542), we identified four-digit DISCO-08 occupations associated with an increased incidence of COVID-19-related hospital admission during 2020-21 (at-risk occupations). The sex-specific prevalence of at-risk employment in foreign born was compared with the prevalence in native born. Moreover, we examined if the country of birth modified the risk of a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and COVID-19-related hospital admission in at-risk occupations.</p><p>RESULTS: Workers born in low-income countries and male workers from Eastern Europe more often worked in at-risk occupations (relative risks between 1.16 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.14-1.17] and 1.87 [95% CI 1.82-1.90]). Being foreign-born modified the adjusted risk of PCR test positivity (test for interaction P &lt; 0.0001), primarily because of higher risk in at-risk occupations among men born in Eastern European countries (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 2.39 [95% CI 2.09-2.72] versus IRR 1.19 [95% CI 1.14-1.23] in native-born men). For COVID-19-related hospital admission, no overall interaction was seen, and in women, country of birth did not consistently modify the occupational risk.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: Workplace viral transmission may contribute to an excess risk of COVID-19 in male workers born in Eastern Europe, but most foreign-born employees in at-risk occupations seem not to be at higher occupational risk than native born.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bonde, J P E and Begtrup, L M and Jensen, J H and Flachs, E M and Jakobsson, K and Nielsen, C and Nilsson, K and Rylander, L and Vilhelmsson, A and Petersen, K U and Tøttenborg, S S}},
  issn         = {{0962-7480}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Occupational Medicine}},
  title        = {{Occupational risk of COVID-19 in foreign-born employees in Denmark}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqad044}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/occmed/kqad044}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}