Abstract
Background: Healthcare workers (HCW) are a high-risk group for COVID-19. The aim of this study is to estimate the risk of acquiring COVID-19 among HCW from Mexican Institute of Social Security in Tijuana, Mexico.
 Methods: A cross-sectional study from Epidemiologic Surveillance Online Notification System database was conducted, including entries from Tijuana, starting March 11th until May 1st 2020. Multiple imputation was performed for the SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR result variable where data was missing. Chi-squared statistic with Yates correction and OR were calculated to estimate the risk of HCW compared to the general population (GP).
 Results: From a total of 10,216 entries, only 6,256 patients were included for analysis. Being a HCW was significantly associated with a higher risk of acquiring COVID-19, OR=1.730 (CI 95% 1.459-2.050). Nurses had double the risk (OR=2.339; CI 95% 1.804-3.032) than the GP. The cluster of physicians only had an additional risk for COVID-19 of 2.8% (OR=1.828; CI 95% 0.766-1.380). Resident physicians doubled the risk of the GP (OR=2.166; CI 95% 0.933-5.025). Meanwhile, interns had a possible protecting factor (OR=0.253; CI 95% 0.085-0.758). Among medical specialties, emergency medicine has the highest risk (OR=4.071; CI 95% 1.090-15.208), followed by anesthesiologists (OR=2.806; CI 95% 0.544-14.466).
 Conclusion: HCW have up to 73% more risk of acquiring COVID-19 than the GP in Tijuana, Mexico. Nurses were the group at highest risk of all HCW, as a result of prolonged and close contact with patients. Emergency medicine and anesthesiology were the medical specialties most at risk because they frequently perform aerosol-generating procedures.
Highlights
Multiple imputation was performed on data from 5,359 (85.66%) subjects to complete Analysis 2, which included all the patients involved in this study
Our study takes into consideration the non-occupational risk to which Healthcare workers (HCW) are exposed to outside the workplace, for instance the analyses used the general population (GP) as referent. In this cross-sectional database study, it was demonstrated that HCWs have higher odds of acquiring COVID-19 than the GP among IMSS users in Tijuana, Mexico
Interns, who were removed from COVID-19 high-risk areas, showcased a protective factor
Summary
Healthcare workers (HCW) are a high-risk population for acquiring COVID-19. 1-2 Viral transmission has multiple pathways, the most studied being through respiratory droplets, with increased estimates of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 compared to influenza.[3,4] For HCW, the workplaces at greater risk of infection are the respiratory and infectious disease departments, the ICU, and the operating room, given the prolonged times exposed to patients and the performance of aerosolgenerating procedures.[5,6] On January 2020, Category A specifications for control and prevention of infection measures were recommended by Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as their country was the first to experience the pandemic, even though COVID-19 was considered a Group B infectious disease by the World Health Organization.[7,8] These measures focus on preventing transmission primarily through respiratory droplets during the execution of high-risk procedures such as endotracheal intubation, extubation, non-invasive ventilation, CPR, bronchoscopy, surgery, and autopsies.[9]many asymptomatic and mild cases, which are still infectious, continue to seek medical attention for other health problems at primary care clinics and emergency departments, contributing to the increase in the number of cases.[4,10] Taking this into consideration, primary care and emergency physicians are considered to be most at risk for acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection, from subclinical to some symptomatic cases.[11,12] different modes of viral transmission are still being researched, with new recommendations on the management and handling of fecal matter[13] and corpses of confirmed COVID-19 cases.[14]. Healthcare workers (HCW) are a high-risk population for acquiring COVID-19. Healthcare workers (HCW) are a high-risk group for contraction of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The aim of this study was to estimate the effect size of being a HCW and acquiring coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in Tijuana, Mexico. Prevalence odds ratios (POR) were calculated to estimate the effect size of HCWs contracting COVID-19 compared to the general population (GP). Emergency medicine and anesthesiology were the medical specialties with the highest odds of infection because they frequently perform aerosol-generating procedures
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
