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Multicenter Study
. 2021 Jan;21(1):e5-e8.
doi: 10.7861/clinmed.2020-0619.

Prevalence and socio-demographic factors of SARS-CoV-2 antibody in multi-ethnic healthcare workers

Mehool Patel  1 , Meera Nair  2 , Eric Pirozzoli  2 , Marta C Cienfuegos  2 , Elizabeth Aitken  2
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Prevalence and socio-demographic factors of SARS-CoV-2 antibody in multi-ethnic healthcare workers

Mehool Patel et al. Clin Med (Lond). 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare workers are particularly susceptible to developing COVID-19 owing to close and frequent contact with COVID-19 patients. This cross-sectional study aimed to describe prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers within a hospital trust and examine factors associated with increased prevalence of this antibody.

Methods: Data was obtained over a 4-week period in 2020 from a cross-sectional prospective survey of healthcare workers serving a multi-ethnic inner-city population who had immunoglobulin G SARS-CoV-2 antibody test. Anonymised socio-demographic data about staff were cross-referenced with these tests.

Results: Of 7,013 staff, 6,212 (89%) undertook the antibody test during this period. Overall detection rate was 26% (1,584/6,212). Univariate analyses revealed no differences in prevalence in terms of gender or age. Compared with white staff members (18%), rates were higher in black (38%) and Asian (27%) members (p<0.001). The rates in general wards (43%) were higher compared with other areas; in emergency medicine and intensive care, prevalence was 23% (p<0.001). Regarding professional groups, prevalence was highest among nursing and allied clinical services (28%), less in doctors (23%) and lower in non-clinical staff (19%).

Discussion: This large study has described prevalence of recent exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers and determined associations including ethnicity, professional groups and geographical areas within healthcare settings. This information will be useful in future COVID-19 studies examining the role of antibody testing both in general populations and in healthcare settings.

Keywords: COVID-19 antibody; SARS-CoV-2 antibody; healthcare workers; prevalence.

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