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Meta-Analysis
. 2021 Mar:104:335-346.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.01.013. Epub 2021 Jan 11.

COVID-19 and healthcare workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Mandana Gholami  1 , Iman Fawad  1 , Sidra Shadan  1 , Rashed Rowaiee  1 , HedaietAllah Ghanem  1 , Amar Hassan Khamis  2 , Samuel B Ho  3
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

COVID-19 and healthcare workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Mandana Gholami et al. Int J Infect Dis. 2021 Mar.

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has focused attention on the challenges and risks faced by frontline healthcare workers (HCW). This study aimed to describe the clinical outcomes and risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCW.

Methods: Three databases were surveyed and 328 articles were identified. Of these, 225 articles did not meet inclusion criteria; therefore, 97 full-text article were reviewed. Finally, after further revision, 30 articles were included in the systematic review and 28 were used for meta-analysis.

Results: Twenty-eight studies were identified involving 119,883 patients. The mean age of the patients was 38.37 years (95% CI 36.72-40.03) and males comprised 21.4% (95% CI 12.4-34.2) of the population of HCW. The percentage of HCW who tested positive for COVID-19 was 51.7% (95% CI 34.7-68.2). The total prevalence of comorbidities in seven studies was 18.4% (95% CI 15.5-21.7). The most prevalent symptoms were fever 27.5% (95% CI 17.6-40.3) and cough 26.1% (95% CI 18.1-36). The prevalence of hospitalisation was 15.1% (95% CI 5.6-35) in 13 studies and of death was 1.5% (95% CI 0.5-3.9) in 12 studies. Comparisons of HCW with and without infection showed an increased relative risk for COVID-19 related to personal protective equipment, workplace setting, profession, exposure, contacts, and testing.

Conclusion: A significant number of HCW were reported to be infected with COVID-19 during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a prevalence of hospitalisation of 15.1% and mortality of 1.5%. Further data are needed to track the continued risks in HCW as the pandemic evolves and health systems adapt.

Keywords: COVID-19; Healthcare workers; Infectious disease transmission; Meta-analysis; Occupational health; SARS-CoV2.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flowchart of study selection process.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Funnel plot showing death among healthcare workers. The standard errors are well distributed showing minimal bias. (B) Funnel plot showing hospitalisation among HCW with COVID-19. The standard errors are widely distributed and demonstrates more potential bias.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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