Infection and mortality of healthcare workers worldwide from COVID-19: a systematic review.

Journal: BMJ global health

Volume: 5

Issue: 12

Year of Publication: 2020

Affiliated Institutions:  Oxford University Global Surgery Group, Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK. Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila College of Medicine, Manila, Metro Manila, The Philippines. Kasr Al Ainy School of Medicine, Cairo University Kasr Alainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt. Department of Surgery, University of Nairobi College of Health Sciences, Nairobi, Kenya. Faculty of Pharmacy, Al Azhar University-Gaza, Gaza, State of Palestine. Dipartimento di medicina clinica e sperimentale, University of Insubria, Varese, Lombardia, Italy. University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Kigali, Rwanda. North Bristol NHS Trust, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, UK. Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Mbarara, Uganda. Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza, State of Palestine. Shriners Ambulatory Clinic, Tijuana, Mexico. Department of Plastic Surgery, Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea Gonzalez, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico. Palestinian Ministry of Health, Gaza, State of Palestine. University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA. Gelephu Central Regional Referral Hospital, Gelephu, Bhutan. Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Dhaka, Bangladesh. National University of Science and Technology Faculty of Medicine, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Gulu University Faculty of Medicine, Gulu, Uganda. Swansea Bay University Health Board, Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot, UK. University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, Kirklees, UK. ConnectMed International, Dominican Republic, Dominican Republic. Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico. Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan. Lancaster Medical School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, Lancashire, UK. Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Oxford University, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK. Parirenyatwa Hospital, University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences, Harare, Zimbabwe. Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Centre for Statistics in Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK. Oxford University Global Surgery Group, Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK roba.khundkar@nds.ox.ac.uk.

Abstract summary 

To estimate COVID-19 infections and deaths in healthcare workers (HCWs) from a global perspective during the early phases of the pandemic.Systematic review.Two parallel searches of academic bibliographic databases and grey literature were undertaken until 8 May 2020. Governments were also contacted for further information where possible. There were no restrictions on language, information sources used, publication status and types of sources of evidence. The AACODS checklist or the National Institutes of Health study quality assessment tools were used to appraise each source of evidence.Publication characteristics, country-specific data points, COVID-19-specific data, demographics of affected HCWs and public health measures employed.A total of 152 888 infections and 1413 deaths were reported. Infections were mainly in women (71.6%, n=14 058) and nurses (38.6%, n=10 706), but deaths were mainly in men (70.8%, n=550) and doctors (51.4%, n=525). Limited data suggested that general practitioners and mental health nurses were the highest risk specialities for deaths. There were 37.2 deaths reported per 100 infections for HCWs aged over 70 years. Europe had the highest absolute numbers of reported infections (119 628) and deaths (712), but the Eastern Mediterranean region had the highest number of reported deaths per 100 infections (5.7).COVID-19 infections and deaths among HCWs follow that of the general population around the world. The reasons for gender and specialty differences require further exploration, as do the low rates reported in Africa and India. Although physicians working in certain specialities may be considered high risk due to exposure to oronasal secretions, the risk to other specialities must not be underestimated. Elderly HCWs may require assigning to less risky settings such as telemedicine or administrative positions. Our pragmatic approach provides general trends, and highlights the need for universal guidelines for testing and reporting of infections in HCWs.

Authors & Co-authors:  Bandyopadhyay Baticulon Kadhum Alser Ojuka Badereddin Kamath Parepalli Brown Iharchane Gandino Markovic-Obiago Scott Manirambona Machhada Aggarwal Benazaize Ibrahim Kim Tol Taylor Knighton Bbaale Jasim Alghoul Reddy Abuelgasim Saini Sigler Abuelgasim Moran-Romero Kumarendran Jamie Ali Sudarshan Dean Kissyova Kelzang Roche Ahsan Mohamed Dube Gwini Gwokyala Brown Papon Li Ruzats Charuvila Peter Khalidy Moyo Alser Solano Robles-Perez Tariq Gaddah Kolovos Muchemwa Saleh Gosman Pinedo-Villanueva Jani Khundkar

Study Outcome 

Source Link: Visit source

Statistics
Citations :  World Health Organization WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19. Available: https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19-11-march-2020 [Accessed 3 May 2020].
Authors :  64
Identifiers
Doi : e003097
SSN : 2059-7908
Study Population
Men,Women
Mesh Terms
COVID-19
Other Terms
diseases;disorders;infections;injuries;public health;review
Study Design
Study Approach
Country of Study
Kenya
Publication Country
England