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Occupational risk of COVID-19 related hospital admission in Denmark 2020–2021 : a follow-up study

Bonde, Jens Peter Ellekilde ; Sell, Lea ; Meulengracht Flachs, Esben ; Coggon, David ; Albin, Maria ; Oude Hengel, Karen Marieke ; Kolstad, Henrik ; Sivesind Mehlum, Ingrid ; Schlunssen, Vivi and Solovieva, Svetlana , et al. (2023) In Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 49(1). p.84-94
Abstract
Objective: Mounting evidence indicates increased risk of COVID-19 among healthcare personnel, but the evidence on risks in other occupations is limited. In this study, we quantify the occupational risk of COVID-19-related hospital admission in Denmark during 2020-2021.

Methods: The source population included 2.4 million employees age 20-69 years. All information was retrieved from public registers. The risk of COVID-19 related hospital admission was examined in 155 occupations with at least 2000 employees (at-risk, N=1 620 231) referenced to a group of mainly office workers defined by a COVID-19 job exposure matrix (N=369 341). Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were computed by Poisson regression.

Results: During 186 million... (More)
Objective: Mounting evidence indicates increased risk of COVID-19 among healthcare personnel, but the evidence on risks in other occupations is limited. In this study, we quantify the occupational risk of COVID-19-related hospital admission in Denmark during 2020-2021.

Methods: The source population included 2.4 million employees age 20-69 years. All information was retrieved from public registers. The risk of COVID-19 related hospital admission was examined in 155 occupations with at least 2000 employees (at-risk, N=1 620 231) referenced to a group of mainly office workers defined by a COVID-19 job exposure matrix (N=369 341). Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were computed by Poisson regression.

Results: During 186 million person-weeks of follow-up, we observed 2944 COVID-19 related hospital admissions in at-risk occupations and 559 in referents. Adjusted risk of such admission was elevated in several occupations within healthcare (including health care assistants, nurses, medical practitioners and laboratory technicians but not physiotherapists or midwives), social care (daycare assistants for children aged 4-7, and nursing aides in institutions and private homes, but not family daycare workers) and transportation (bus drivers, but not lorry drivers). Most IRR in these at-risk occupations were in the range of 1.5-3. Employees in education, retail sales and various service occupations seemed not to be at risk.

Conclusion: Employees in several occupations within and outside healthcare are at substantially increased risk of COVID-19. There is a need to revisit safety measures and precautions to mitigate viral transmission in the workplace during the current and forthcoming pandemics. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cohort study, epidemiology, healthcare, industry, ISCO-08, job, NACE, pandemic, SARS-CoV-2
in
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
volume
49
issue
1
pages
11 pages
publisher
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
external identifiers
  • pmid:36228167
  • scopus:85145242085
ISSN
0355-3140
DOI
10.5271/sjweh.4063
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
83e698cd-a2e3-4d41-803f-30d9b48082db
date added to LUP
2022-10-24 09:25:11
date last changed
2024-10-04 08:08:36
@article{83e698cd-a2e3-4d41-803f-30d9b48082db,
  abstract     = {{Objective: Mounting evidence indicates increased risk of COVID-19 among healthcare personnel, but the evidence on risks in other occupations is limited. In this study, we quantify the occupational risk of COVID-19-related hospital admission in Denmark during 2020-2021.<br/><br/>Methods: The source population included 2.4 million employees age 20-69 years. All information was retrieved from public registers. The risk of COVID-19 related hospital admission was examined in 155 occupations with at least 2000 employees (at-risk, N=1 620 231) referenced to a group of mainly office workers defined by a COVID-19 job exposure matrix (N=369 341). Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were computed by Poisson regression.<br/><br/>Results: During 186 million person-weeks of follow-up, we observed 2944 COVID-19 related hospital admissions in at-risk occupations and 559 in referents. Adjusted risk of such admission was elevated in several occupations within healthcare (including health care assistants, nurses, medical practitioners and laboratory technicians but not physiotherapists or midwives), social care (daycare assistants for children aged 4-7, and nursing aides in institutions and private homes, but not family daycare workers) and transportation (bus drivers, but not lorry drivers). Most IRR in these at-risk occupations were in the range of 1.5-3. Employees in education, retail sales and various service occupations seemed not to be at risk.<br/><br/>Conclusion: Employees in several occupations within and outside healthcare are at substantially increased risk of COVID-19. There is a need to revisit safety measures and precautions to mitigate viral transmission in the workplace during the current and forthcoming pandemics.}},
  author       = {{Bonde, Jens Peter Ellekilde and Sell, Lea and Meulengracht Flachs, Esben and Coggon, David and Albin, Maria and Oude Hengel, Karen Marieke and Kolstad, Henrik and Sivesind Mehlum, Ingrid and Schlunssen, Vivi and Solovieva, Svetlana and Torén, Kjell and Jakobsson, Kristina and Nielsen, Christel and Nilsson, Kerstin and Rylander, Lars and Petersen, Kajsa Ugelvig and Töttenborg, Sandra Sögaard}},
  issn         = {{0355-3140}},
  keywords     = {{cohort study; epidemiology; healthcare; industry; ISCO-08; job; NACE; pandemic; SARS-CoV-2}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{84--94}},
  publisher    = {{Finnish Institute of Occupational Health}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health}},
  title        = {{Occupational risk of COVID-19 related hospital admission in Denmark 2020–2021 : a follow-up study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.4063}},
  doi          = {{10.5271/sjweh.4063}},
  volume       = {{49}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}