Occupational Groups Research Articles

Validity and reliability of the Polish adaptation of the work-related sense of coherence scale.

Work-related sense of coherence (Work-SoC) is defined as the perceived comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness of an individual's work situation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factor structure, invariance, reliability, and validity of the Polish version of the Work-SoC Scale. The research was carried out between September and November 2023 in a diverse sample of employees. Factor structure, internal consistency, and measurement equivalence analysis were performed on sample N1 = 622. Criterion validity was checked on sample N2 = 255. Temporal stability was checked on sample N3 = 60 using the test-retest method. A three-factor solution was the best fit for the data, and invariant across sex, age, occupational group, and education. The Work-SoC was strongest in white-collar workers. Strength of Work-SoC was positively related to seniority (r = 0.23, p < 0.001). The reliability of the Work-SoC Scale was high (α = 0.84, ω = 0.84). Work-SoC was positively correlated with general SoC (r = 0.36, p < 0.001) and job satisfaction (r = 0.50, p < 0.001), and negatively correlated with job burnout (r = -0.32, p < 0.001). The temporal stability of the measurement for the overall scale was high (r = 0.80, p < 0.001). The Polish adaptation of the Work-SoC Scale has an identical structure and is as reliable as the original version. The high criterion validity, measurement stability, and the invariant structure of the scale by sex, age, occupational group, and education suggest that the Work-SoC Scale is a valuable tool for future research on employee health.

Sarcopenia risk in U.S. younger adults: the impact of physical activity intensity and occupational engagement-insights from a cross-sectional NHANES study.

This study aimed to investigate the associations between physical activity (PA) intensity, occupational PA engagement, and sarcopenia in younger adults. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (from 2011 to 2018) were used for the study. PA data were extracted for the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the ratio of limb muscle mass (ALM) to body mass index (BMI) was used to determine sarcopenia. Multiple logistic regression was performed, and dose-response curves were drawn to evaluate the associations. Of the 8802 adults aged 20 to 59 years, 770 (8.7%) were identified as having sarcopenia. Compared to those in the reference group, the participants in the "low", "moderate", and "high" total METs groups had lower risks of sarcopenia (low: OR = 0.730, 95% CI = 0.583; 0.915; moderate: OR = 0.643, 95% CI = 0.485; 0.853; high: OR = 0.560, 95% CI = 0.457; 0.687). The risk of sarcopenia decreased in the high-intensity recreational PA group; however, such a significant association was observed only in the high-intensity occupational PA group. The relationship between total METs and sarcopenia showed a nonlinear U-shaped trend. A greater intensity of PA is associated with a lower risk of sarcopenia among younger adults, regardless of whether moderate or vigorous PA is performed. Moreover, recreational PA may particularly advantageously contrast with occupational PA in lowering the risk of sarcopenia.

Artificial intelligence, emotional labor, and the quest for sociological and political imagination among low-skilled workers

Abstract This study examines how generative AI impacts low-skilled workers in their daily professional lives, how it changes the nature of their work, and what, if any, strategies they develop to cope with this new reality. Emphasis is placed on call center agents—an occupational group facing a particularly high automation risk. Drawing on Constructivist Grounded Theory and semistructured interviews in an Austrian call center, we uncover how flawed generative AI tools have increased emotional labor among these workers. This increase is hypothesized to result in agents’ inability to embed their own problems in the larger social context of generative AI’s impact on the labor market, let alone to politicize these problems. They were thus said to lack sociological and political imagination. Our study is the first to link emotional labor with these forms of imagination among low-skilled workers, offering new analytical tools for future research on generative AI’s nuanced effects on the labor market. To empower low-skilled workers, foster their imaginations and address their concerns, we propose several policy recommendations, including targeted education campaigns, enhanced social dialogue, co-determination rights, and tailored upskilling programs. This study thus offers a valuable contribution to scientific research while providing practical implications for policymakers.

Non-compete clauses in employment contracts: The case for regulatory response

Abstract In the employment context, non-competes are contractual terms which provide that once the employment ends the employee cannot work for another employer in the same industry or field (i.e. a competitor), within a specified geographic area, for a specified time. The existing law and practice regarding non-competes in Australia is plagued with confusion and uncertainty. Non-competes also have adverse economic consequences; they are associated with reduced employee mobility and consequent negative impacts on wages and productivity. The use of non-competes by Australian business has increased over the past 5 years and absent a policy response; this trend is likely to continue. Non-competes are no longer limited to highly paid executives but now apply to about one in five Australian workers, across income, age, occupational, and education groups. The distribution and prevalence of non-competes in Australia are broadly consistent with data in other developed economies. A number of jurisdictions within the Organisation for Economics Co-operation and Development have imposed restrictions on the use of non-competes. The US Federal Trade Commission is considering a ban on their use and, in the UK, the government has announced its intention to limit the term of non-competes to 3 months. In Australia, the Competition Minister has recently asked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Treasury for advice on the competitive aspect of non-competes. The Australian Government released an Issues Paper (https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-04/c2024-514668-issues-paper.pdf#page40) – ‘Non-competes and other restraints: understanding the impacts on jobs, business and productivity’ in April 2024. The Issues Paper outlines the existing research and evidence in Australia and overseas on the use and effects of non-competes. A public consultation process will conclude in May 2024 and Treasury will advise the Government on the outcomes of the consultations by the end of 2024. After reviewing the arguments for and against restricting the ‘reach’ of non-competes, I conclude that the weight of the evidence favours a regulatory response to ameliorate the unfairness inherent in the existing law and practice. A number of possible regulatory responses are considered.

Night Shift Work and Sleep Experiences in Older Night Shift Nurses.

Working at night leads to misalignment between the biological clock and the work/sleep schedule, resulting in sleepiness and impaired performance during the night shift and poor quality, shortened sleep during the day; this is greatly impaired in older individuals. To describe night work and sleep experiences from the perspective of older (aged 50-65) nurses. Seven virtual focus groups were formed comprising 19 older nurses who worked regular 8-hour night shifts (at least 6 consecutive hours between midnight and 6 am) to learn about their shift work and sleep experiences. Two facilitators and 2 research assistants independently reviewed and coded the transcripts using qualitative content analysis. Nine themes were identified in 3 domains: (a) night shift challenges and difficulties, including first night shift is most difficult; never feel rested working nights; and personal health concerns and benefits from working nights; (b) sleep challenges and difficulties, including inconsistent sleep timing when switching between nights and days; extended (24+ hours) time awake before and after consecutive nights; difficulty maintaining long and sound daytime sleep; and napping before night shifts for better performance; and (c) family and social challenges and support, including childcare, family, personal obligations, and social activities affect sleep; aging of self and children influences sleep and prioritization of sleep. The findings help understand challenges and struggles to obtain adequate sleep and safe work performance in older night shift nurses. These insignts are critical for designing and implementing feasible and acceptable interventions to improve sleep in this high-risk occupational group.

Abstract 4125957: Feasibility and Acceptability of Behavioral Weight Loss Programs for Men in Trade and Labor Occupations

Objective: Men who work in trade and labor occupations experience high rates of obesity and related cardiovascular disease due to high rates of sedentary leisure time and poor diet. Despite this, they are underrepresented in weight control programs. This pilot randomized trial evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a 6-month program tailored to this occupational group versus a non-tailored standard-of-care behavioral weight loss program. Methods: Men with overweight or obesity working in trade and labor occupations were randomly assigned to either a tailored program or the DPP Group Lifestyle Balance program delivered via 16 one-hour virtual group sessions. In-person assessments were conducted at baseline, 3, and 6 months. Semi-structured interviews and self-report were used to assess the acceptability of the interventions. Feasibility was assessed using recruitment metrics and proportion group sessions and study assessments completed. Results: Participants (N = 28; median 44.0 years, interquartile range (IQR): 38.5-54.5), median 31.8 BMI, IQR 31.1-39.6) were recruited into the study over 7 months, and 71% and 79% were retained for assessments at 3 and 6 months, respectively. Overall, participants attended a median of 7 of the 16 group sessions (IQR 2.5-11.5). The tailored group completed a median of 11 of 16 weekly online progress reports (IQR 5-15). All participants reported that they would recommend the programs to other men and felt confident that they would continue using the strategies learned in the programs. Though the trial focused on feasibility rather than efficacy, median weight losses at 6 months were -3.0% in the tailored group (95% CI -9.3, -0.6) and -1.9% in the standard group (95% CI -7.4, 2.0). Conclusions: Results suggest that both the tailored and standard weight loss interventions were well received by this group, but engagement was low. Future research should focus on understanding how to increase engagement rather than exclusively tailoring the program to this occupational group to enhance this group's involvement with cardiovascular disease prevention programs.

Public Hospital Workers' Views on the Process of Switching from the Hospital Information Management System to the e-Health Information System in a Province

The purpose of this study is to investigate the views, reasons for satisfaction, and difficulties encountered by medical staff members regarding the Hospital Information Management System (HIMS) in state hospitals located in Amasya and its surrounding areas. It also assesses the knowledge and experiences of healthcare professionals with e-Health apps in public hospitals, emphasizing their opinions and recommendations for assistance, training, adaptation, and involvement throughout the integration of these applications into healthcare services. The goal of the study is to better understand how healthcare professionals feel about digital technologies and to provide suggestions for raising the caliber of healthcare services. The Amasya Provincial Health Directorate oversees four facilities where the research was carried out. Following permission by the ethics committee, data gathering was underway on April 22, 2024, with a pilot research carried out in April of the same year. There are 913 healthcare workers in the population, and a minimum sample size of 405 at a 95% confidence interval was found to be appropriate. Using the'stratified, simple random' approach, the sample was selected and split into three strata based on occupational groupings. With a median age of 37, 38.8% of the 405 participants were female. 34.2% of physicians, 33.7% of midwives, nurses, and health officers, and 40.4% of medical secretaries and data entry staff expressed satisfaction when HIMS satisfaction was analyzed. The system's capacity to decrease errors and enhance workflow was one of the primary factors contributing to user satisfaction. Furthermore, 42.7% of individuals worked nights. Compared to other professional groups, physicians utilized e-health applications like e-prescription and e-report more frequently. Physicians were more likely to employ telemedicine than other healthcare professionals, who were less knowledgeable in this field. The study recommends developing training methodologies specific to various professional groups and expanding the use of e-Health applications. The study highlights the need for regular in-service training, a more robust technical infrastructure, and user-friendly interfaces to boost healthcare personnel' satisfaction with e-Health. In summary, this study offers important information for strengthening e-Health and HIMS applications and presents important suggestions for raising the caliber of healthcare services through digital transformation.

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and associated factorsamongoutpatient attendees athealth facilities in different provinces in Chad.

Chad with 7,698 confirmed cases of infection and 194 deaths since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, is one of the African countries with the lowest reported case numbers. However, this figure likely underestimates the true spread of the virus due to the low rate of diagnosis. The high rate of asymptomatic infections reflects the reality of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Chad. In this study, we estimated the seroprevalence and identified factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. A cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2022 and February 2023. A total of 1,290 plasma samples were collected from outpatient attendees at Health Facilities located in 11 provinces of Chad and tested by ELISA method, for the presence of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV2 nucleocapsid(N)protein. KoboToolbox was used to gather data from the participants and data were analyzed using STATA 16. The overall seroprevalence was 83.0% [95% CI = 81.6%-85.5%], with variations between provinces, ranging from 99.2% [95% CI = 94.0%-100%] in Moundou (Southern Chad) to 46.8% [95% CI = 36.0% -57.1%] in Biltine (Eastern Chad). Factors associated with the seroprevalence included military occupation (OR = 0.37 CI [0.80-1.77] p = 0.025) and age group between 55-64years (OR = 0.33 CI [0.15-0.72] p = 0.005). While, other factors, such as gender and age were not significantly associated with seroprevalence. Our results indicated that, the seroprevalence of COVID-19 in Chad is among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. These estimates could guide the response and public health policy decisions, enhancing the management of future outbreaks involving respiratory pathogens.

Physicians in congress: Professional backgrounds and legislative effectiveness

AbstractDespite a long history of physician service in the U.S. Congress, scholars have not yet provided a systematic study of physician members of Congress (PMCs) behavior once elected. Using publicly available data, the authors built a database of all PMCs, including years served, gender, and party affiliation since 1921, merging these data with information on PMC lawmaking activities since 1973. We show that, relative to other members, PMCs are substantially more likely to sponsor and have their health policies passed relative to other members. Further, PMCs are 66% more legislatively effective on health policy matters relative to other members. We show that these health policy effectiveness gains are isolated to health policy making and are not driven by committee assignments or ideological moderation. This work expands on the literatures related to the descriptive and substantive representation of occupational and economic class groupings as well as lawmaking effectiveness.

The burden and distribution of cystic echinococcosis in Bhutan: a retrospective study.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by Echinococcus granulosus s.l. is a neglected zoonosis posing a significant public health challenge. Little is known about human CE in Bhutan. This study was conducted to gain an understanding of the burden, distribution, and potential risk factors of CE in Bhutan. From January 2015 to December 2019 data from Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) and 6 other district-level hospitals were reviewed. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. DALYs and Poisson regression models were used to estimate the burden and explore the relationship between cases and possible risk factors. A total of 159 cases were recorded. Most cases (145) were admitted to the surgical ward and 14 cases were referred to India. The average annual incidence was 4.4 cases per 100 000 population. The burden of disease was estimated to be approximately 39 DALYs per year for treatment-seeking cases, or possibly 80 DALYs per year including non-treatment seeking cases. This translates to approximately to 5.2 DALYs and 10.2 per 100 000 per year respectively. The commonest sites of infection were the liver (78%) and lungs (13%). Most cases were treated with surgery (>82%), and more than 47% were admitted to the hospital for >4 days. Policy interventions targeting community engagement, awareness, education, high risk occupational groups, females, and those living in the endemic districts of the central and western regions may yield larger gains. More studies and the institution of a surveillance system can help better guide policy interventions.

Objective and subjective evaluation of the use of protective clothing on the thermal strain and mental workload of nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nurses are among high-risk occupational groups during the outbreak of epidemics. Therefore, these people are required to use personal protective equipment (PPE). Previous studies have shown that the use of personal protective equipment can affect people's thermal strain and mental workload. The present study was conducted with the aim of objectively and subjectively evaluating the use of protective clothing on the thermal strain and mental workload of nurses during the covid-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study was divided into two groups with a sample size of 300 people who were selected by systematic random method. In the first group, 120 people were objectively evaluated (use of protective clothing). In the second group, 180 people only completed the questionnaire of mental workload, feeling of heat and sweating and other information related to the type of clothing and the duration of its use, etc. Measurements were done in August and September of 2021 and in the morning shift of hospitals. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 software and chi-square, independent T-test and linear regression tests. The average age and average working hours per month of the participants in the study were 33.51±7.88 years, 187.91±35.37 hours, respectively. The results showed that the predicted average vote (PMV) index and the predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD), moisture felt on the skin surface, the feeling of desirability and pleasantness of the temperature, the weight of sweat and the humidity inside the clothes between the two groups of people using insulated clothes There is a significant difference between medicine and dressing (P < 0.05). There was a significant relationship between mental workload and type of clothing, average working hours per month. The use of medical isolation clothes causes a high heat load on nurses and can increase their mental workload. On the other hand, people using normal gowns suffer from a high mental workload due to the fear of disease due to the uncertainty of high-level protection. In addition, medical isolation clothes increase the humidity of the skin due to their impermeability, which causes skin complications.

Systematic review of child maltreatment screening tools used by different occupational groups: a study protocol

BackgroundChild maltreatment (CM) encompasses physical, emotional or sexual abuse, physical or emotional/psychological neglect or intimate partner (or domestic) violence and is associated with adverse cognitive, behavioural, physical and social outcomes...

Association between socioeconomic disadvantage and severe maternal morbidity and mortality in high-income countries: a systematic review

BackgroundSocioeconomic position (SEP) is among the most important determinants of variations in health outcomes. This systematic review aimed to summarise the association between socioeconomic disadvantage and the risk of severe...

Association between ocular diseases and screen time and sedentary time derived from job-exposure matrices

After developing job-exposure matrices (JEMs) for screen and sedentary time, we aimed to assess the associations between the JEM-derived exposures and various ocular diseases. We collected data from patients hospitalized from 2005 to 2021. JEMs were developed from 41,718 patients with occupational information and screen and sedentary times. The adjusted means of screen and sedentary time were calculated for 143 occupational groups and categorized into three classes based on the tertiles. The associations between ocular diseases and these JEM-derived exposures were examined using multivariable conditional logistic regression for 727,589 patients. The odds ratios of the class with highest screen time were 1.05 (95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.09) for cataract, 1.24 (1.06–1.45) for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), 1.26 (1.06–1.49) for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), 1.49 (1.26–1.76) for ptosis, and 0.39 (0.27–0.57) for pterygium. The odds ratios of the class with highest sedentary time were 1.05 (1.01–1.09) for cataract, 1.24 (1.05–1.46) for RRD, 1.68 (1.42–1.99) for ptosis, and 0.60 (0.42–0.84) for pterygium. Both screen and sedentary time were positively associated with cataract, RRD and ptosis. Interestingly, POAG had a positive association with only screen time. Please check and confirm that the authors and their respective affiliations have been correctly identified and amend if necessary."I have confirmed that the content is correct. No amendments are necessary.Please check article title if captured correctly."?>"I have confirmed that the content is correct. No amendments are necessary.

Impact of Long COVID symptoms on individuals in Hong Kong: Implications for occupational therapy practices

Introduction: From occupational therapy perspective, this study investigates the nature and impact of Long COVID symptoms on individuals in Hong Kong according to their gender, age, and occupation and to understand their treatment needs Method: A total of 193 participants with an acute COVID-19 episode 3 months ago and having recovered from it who were experiencing subjective symptoms of Long COVID were recruited through snowball sampling from local COVID-19 support groups and healthcare facilities to participate in a cross-sectional design via an online survey assessing their symptoms and the impact on daily activities, and exploring their treatment preferences. Findings: Respiratory, systemic, sleep, and cognitive symptoms were found to be the most prevalent, with significant variations in symptom severity and impact on daily life across different age and occupational status groups. The treatment preference was quite strongly inclined to traditional Chinese medicine. Conclusion: This study has uncovered the critical and yet recognized roles of occupational therapy in managing Long COVID impact by identifying the potential gaps of occupational therapy in its management and calling for advocating promotion in the community and interdisciplinary collaboration with traditional Chinese medicine. Implications about occupational therapy management and the healthcare policies for tailoring treatment programs are discussed.

Dutch maternity care providers’ attitudes toward and support of young fathers: A cross-sectional survey-based study

BackgroundGiven their often-vulnerable circumstances, young fathers’ childcare involvement is precarious. Despite the potential benefits of receiving professional support, young fathers experience exclusion or suboptimal support in maternity care. Insights into maternity care providers’ attitudes toward young fathers and their perspectives on the support they provide to this group are, however, lacking. Such insights could be helpful to better align support with young fathers’ needs. AimThe study objectives were to examine maternity care providers’ attitudes toward young fathers and their perspectives on the support they provide to them, assess relationships between the two and investigate differences between and within occupational groups. MethodAn online survey study was conducted with 183 Dutch midwives and maternity nurses. FindingsMaternity care providers reported positive attitudes and high levels of support. They indicated that they provide mainly affirmative support, followed by emotional, informational, and instrumental support. All forms of support correlated significantly with positive attitudes. Maternity nurses had higher positive attitude and support scores than did midwives, with the largest difference observed for instrumental support. ConclusionMaternity care providers reported positive attitudes and high levels of support provided to young fathers, which stands in contrast with the father's experience of support. This difference suggests that having positive attitudes and the intention to deliver high levels of support are not by definition sufficient to meet young fathers’ support needs. Attention should also be paid to the forms and manners of support provided.

Prevalence of Cannabis Use Among US Workers in 15 States, 2016-2020.

Objectives. To examine the prevalence of cannabis use among US workers using data from the US Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) during 2016 to 2020. Methods. We analyzed past 30-day cannabis use among US workers. We calculated weighted prevalence and adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) of cannabis use for working adults by industry groups, occupation groups, and sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., sex, education, age, race/ethnicity). Results. During the 5-year survey period, the weighted prevalence of past 30-day cannabis use among adult US workers from the 15 states included in the BRFSS was 10.7%. The industry group with the highest weighted prevalence of use was accommodation and food services (20.7%), and the highest-ranking occupation group was food preparation and service (21.9%). The industry group with the highest APR was accommodation and food services (APR = 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10, 1.55), and the occupation group with the highest APR was arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media (APR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.52, 2.41). Conclusions. Cannabis use among US workers varied widely by sex, age, race, education, industry groups, and occupation groups. A more accurate understanding of this variation can help guide research, focus policy discussions, and prioritize health messaging. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(S8):S645-S653. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307788).

Does the health of local populations modify occupational differences in employment rates of older workers? Findings from the ONS Longitudinal Study 2001–2011

Poor health is a key reason for early exit from the labour market. Few studies have explored how the health of local populations is related to occupational differences in employment outcomes among older people. Our study used data for England and Wales from the ONS Longitudinal Study linked with 2001 Census measures of the health of the older working age population at local authority level. We included 128,710 people aged 40-64y in 2001 who were in paid work in the previous five years. We investigated the associations of both occupation and area level with two employment outcomes ten years later (in 2011): i) in paid work or not; ii) economic activity (employed (reference), unemployed, retired, sick/disabled, other). People in elementary occupations were more likely to not be in paid work in 2011 compared to those in managerial occupations (RRR 1·55 [95%CI 1·47,1·64]). Compared to the healthiest third of local authority areas, being resident in the unhealthiest third was associated with greater likelihood of not being in paid employment ten years later (RRR 1·25 [95% CI 1·18,1·33]). While area level health was associated with employment outcomes for all major occupation groups, the gap between the healthiest and unhealthiest areas was most marked for skilled trades; process, plant and machine operatives; and elementary occupations. Occupational differences for the economic activity outcome were most marked for the sick/disabled category. Policies to improve the health of local populations may support retention and reduce occupational inequalities in employment rates of older workers.

Knowledge and utilization of HIV/AIDs preventive measures among intra-city commercial drivers in Kano State, Nigeria

Background: Intracity commercial drivers play a vital role in transportation systems in many urban centers. However, their occupation puts them at risk for HIV infection due to various factors. Despite their increased vulnerability, intracity commercial drivers face significant challenges in accessing HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services. Method: This was an observational community-based cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among intracity commercial drivers in Kano State, Nigeria through multistage sampling technique. Result: the mean age and standard deviation of respondents was 42.0 ± 11.3. About two-third (67.7%) had good aggregate knowledge score and more than half (57.4%) of the study participant had good uptake and utilization of HIV/AIDs preventive services. After adjusting for the confounding effects using logistic regression analysis; educational status of secondary school (AOR=2.25, 95% CI=1.21–13.25) and post-secondary (AOR=4.10,95%CI=2.22-17.88), monthly income of between N50,0001 – N100,000.00 (AOR=2.02, 95%CI=1.74-19.33) and &gt;N100,000.00 (AOR=4.01, 95%CI=3.11-27.33), working experience of 11 – 20 years (AOR=3.25, 95%CI= 1.16-22.56) and &gt;20 years (AOR=6.05, 95%CI= 3.03-26.77) and good aggregate knowledge scores on HIV/AIDs preventive measures (AOR=4.02 (2.13 – 14.55), 95%CI=2.13-14.55) remained significant predictors of uptake/utilization of HIV/AIDs preventive measures. Conclusion: All agencies responsible for HIV/AIDs control and their partners should take appropriate measures including various strategies to educate this occupational group on sexuality and reproductive health. Also, the establishment of STI clinics in strategic locations, as well as making condoms available, accessible, affordable, and acceptable for use by this group of people in our society, should all be part of the prevention strategy.

Heterogeneity in Damages from a Pandemic

Abstract We use nationally-representative linked survey and administrative data to document socioeconomic and demographic disparities in the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States during its first two years. Impacts on all-cause mortality and on employment were concentrated in the same racial/ethnic, education, industry, and occupation groups. Black-White and Hispanic-White disparities in mortality impacts narrowed over the two years, but educational disparities persisted. For economic impacts, only Hispanic-White disparities narrowed. Lower-income individuals experienced greater mortality impacts and this gradient steepened in the second year. Our findings, using consistent methods and measures, highlight the pandemic's heterogeneous impacts.