Background: Healthcare workers were at a high risk of infection early in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. It is uncertain to what extent occupational, household and community factors contributed, and how this changed over time. We aimed to characterise the risk factors for infection over four successive waves of the pandemic in a large, UK healthcare worker cohort (SIREN).
Methods: Participants underwent fortnightly SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing and symptom/exposure questionnaire. Attack rates and adjusted OR of infection were calculated according to participant characteristics and exposures for each wave between 1st October 2020 and 30th August 2022.
Findings: 19,427 participants were included in the second wave, 20,260 in the third, 11,937 in the fourth, and 6503 in the fifth. The attack rates of infection were 9.1% (alpha), 6.6% (delta), 36.6% (omicron BA.1/2) and 15.9% (omicron BA.4/5), respectively. Occupational risk factors were only apparent in the second wave, during which significant social distancing measures were in place. These were identified as working as a healthcare assistant, nurse or bedside therapist, and working on an inpatient ward. Occupational exposure requiring personal protective equipment was also a risk. In subsequent waves, without social restrictions, occupational characteristics were not risk factors. Instead, living with others compared to living alone was a risk, particularly children. During the third wave (winter 2021-2022), having a colleague with COVID-19 was identified as a risk for the first time.
Interpretation: Our findings highlight clinical areas and occupational groups in which there may be scope to prevent healthcare-associated infections, particularly during winter pressures. Prospective studies targeting these are essential to establish which interventions are most effective. This study also underscores the importance of community circulation and exposures when considering healthcare workforce protection.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106393 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Diagnostic Decision-Making Variability Between Novice and Expert Optometrists for Glaucoma: Comparative Analysis to Inform AI System Design.
JMIR Med Inform
January 2025
Department of Systems Design Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
Background: While expert optometrists tend to rely on a deep understanding of the disease and intuitive pattern recognition, those with less experience may depend more on extensive data, comparisons, and external guidance. Understanding these variations is important for developing artificial intelligence (AI) systems that can effectively support optometrists with varying degrees of experience and minimize decision inconsistencies.
Objective: The main objective of this study is to identify and analyze the variations in diagnostic decision-making approaches between novice and expert optometrists.
Identification of risk factors for suboptimal adherence in people living with HIV through measurement of medication possession ratio: a cross-sectional study.
AIDS Care
January 2025
Department of Knowledge Management, Sociedad Integral de Especialistas en Salud (SIES Salud IPS), Bogotá, Colombia.
The most significant progress in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic has been the development of antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, ensuring a high degree of treatment adherence is necessary to prevent resistance and disease progression. We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate adherence to ART through the calculation of the medication possession ratio (MPR) and to identify risk factors for suboptimal adherence in a cohort of HIV-positive patients receiving care at a Colombian healthcare institution across 16 cities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSensitivity to Environmental Stress and Adversity and Lung Cancer.
JAMA Netw Open
January 2025
Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland.
Importance: Sensitivity to environmental stress and adversity may influence lung cancer risk, highlighting a critical link between psychosocial factors and cancer etiology.
Objective: To evaluate whether genetically estimated sensitivity to environmental stress and adversity is associated with lung cancer risk.
Design, Setting, And Participants: Data were obtained from a genome-wide association study identifying 37 independent genetic variants strongly associated with sensitivity to environmental stress and adversity and a cross-ancestry genome-wide meta-analysis from the International Lung Cancer Consortium.
Proximity Ligation Assay to Study Oncogene-Derived Transcription-Replication Conflicts.
J Vis Exp
January 2025
Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China; National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Research and Preventio, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital;
Both DNA replication and RNA transcription utilize genomic DNA as their template, necessitating spatial and temporal separation of these processes. Conflicts between the replication and transcription machinery, termed transcription-replication conflicts (TRCs), pose a considerable risk to genome stability, a critical factor in cancer development. While several factors regulating these collisions have been identified, pinpointing primary causes remains difficult due to limited tools for direct visualization and clear interpretation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStair-descent phenotypes in community-dwelling older adults determined using high-level balance tasks.
Aging Clin Exp Res
January 2025
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
Background: Falls on stairs are a major cause of severe injuries among older adults, with stair descent posing significantly greater risks than ascent. Variations in stair descent phenotypes may reflect differences in physical function and biomechanical stability, and their identification may prevent falls.
Aims: This study aims to classify stair descent phenotypes in older adults and investigate the biomechanical and physical functional differences between these phenotypes using hierarchical cluster analysis.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!