Hospitalization, death, and probable reinfection in Peruvian healthcare workers infected with SARS-CoV-2: a national retrospective cohort study

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVETo determine if occupation is a risk factor for probable reinfection, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 in Peruvian healthcare workers infected with SARS-CoV-2. MATERIAL AND METHODSRetrospective cohort study. Healthcare workers who presented SARS-CoV-2 infection between March 1, 2020 and August 9, 2021 were included. Occupational cohorts were reconstructed from the following sources of information the National Epidemiological Surveillance System, molecular tests (NETLAB), results of serology and antigen tests (SICOVID-19), National Registry of Health Personnel (INFORHUS) and National Information System of Deaths (SINADEF). The incidence of probable reinfection, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 was obtained in the cohorts of health auxiliaries and technicians, nursing staff, obstetricians, physicians, and other healthcare workers. We evaluated whether occupation was a risk factor for probable reinfection, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 using a log-binomial generalized linear model, obtaining the adjusted relative risk (RR AJ). RESULTS90,672 healthcare workers were included. 8.1% required hospitalization, 1.7% died from COVID-19, and 2.0% had probable reinfection. A similar incidence of probable reinfection was found in the 5 cohorts (1.9%-2.2%). Physicians had a higher incidence of hospitalization (13.2%) and death (2.6%); however, they were also those who presented greater susceptibility linked to non-occupational variables such as age and comorbidities. The multivariate analysis found that physicians (RR=1.691; CI 95 1.556-1.837) had a higher risk of hospitalization and that the occupation of health technician and assistant was the only one that constituted a risk factor for mortality from COVID-19 (RR =1.240; 95% CI 1.052-1.463). CONCLUSIONSPeruvian health technicians and auxiliaries have a higher risk of death from COVID-19 linked to their occupation, while doctors have higher mortality due to non-occupational factors. Physicians had a higher risk of hospitalization independent of the presence of comorbidities and age; likewise, all occupations had a similar risk of probable reinfection.