TY - JOUR

T1 - COVID-19-related hospital admission in spouses of partners in at-risk occupations

AU - Bonde, Jens Peter Ellekilde

AU - Begtrup, Luise Mølenberg

AU - Coggon, David

AU - Jensen, Johan Høy

AU - Flachs, Esben Meulengracht

AU - Jakobsson, Kristina

AU - Nielsen, Christel

AU - Nilsson, Kerstin

AU - Rylander, Lars

AU - Vilhelmsson, Andreas

AU - Petersen, Kajsa Ugelvig

AU - Tøttenborg, Sandra Søgaard

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to quantify the risk of COVID-19-related hospital admission in spouses living with partners in at-risk occupations in Denmark during 2020-21.METHODS: Within a registry-based cohort of all Danish employees (N=2 451 542), we identified cohabiting couples, in which at least one member (spouse) held a job that according to a job exposure matrix entailed low risk of occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (N=192 807 employees, 316 COVID-19 hospital admissions). Risk of COVID-19-related hospital admission in such spouses was assessed according to whether their partners were in jobs with low, intermediate or high risk for infection. Overall and sex-specific incidence rate ratios (IRR) of COVID-19-related hospital admission were computed by Poisson regression with adjustment for relevant covariates.RESULTS: The risk of COVID-19-related hospital admission was increased among spouses with partners in high-risk occupations [adjusted IRR (IRRadj)1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-2.2], but not intermediate-risk occupations (IRRadj 0.97 95% 0.8-1.3). IRR for having a partner in a high-risk job was elevated during the first three pandemic waves but not in the fourth (IRRadj 0.48 95% CI 0.2-1.5). Sex did not modify the risk of hospital admission.CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 transmission at the workplace may pose an increased risk of severe COVID-19 among spouses in low-risk jobs living with partners in high-risk jobs, which emphasizes the need for preventive measures at the workplace in future outbreaks of epidemic contagious disease. When available, effective vaccines seem essential.

AB - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to quantify the risk of COVID-19-related hospital admission in spouses living with partners in at-risk occupations in Denmark during 2020-21.METHODS: Within a registry-based cohort of all Danish employees (N=2 451 542), we identified cohabiting couples, in which at least one member (spouse) held a job that according to a job exposure matrix entailed low risk of occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (N=192 807 employees, 316 COVID-19 hospital admissions). Risk of COVID-19-related hospital admission in such spouses was assessed according to whether their partners were in jobs with low, intermediate or high risk for infection. Overall and sex-specific incidence rate ratios (IRR) of COVID-19-related hospital admission were computed by Poisson regression with adjustment for relevant covariates.RESULTS: The risk of COVID-19-related hospital admission was increased among spouses with partners in high-risk occupations [adjusted IRR (IRRadj)1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-2.2], but not intermediate-risk occupations (IRRadj 0.97 95% 0.8-1.3). IRR for having a partner in a high-risk job was elevated during the first three pandemic waves but not in the fourth (IRRadj 0.48 95% CI 0.2-1.5). Sex did not modify the risk of hospital admission.CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 transmission at the workplace may pose an increased risk of severe COVID-19 among spouses in low-risk jobs living with partners in high-risk jobs, which emphasizes the need for preventive measures at the workplace in future outbreaks of epidemic contagious disease. When available, effective vaccines seem essential.

KW - Male

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - COVID-19/epidemiology

KW - Spouses

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - Occupations

KW - Hospitals

U2 - 10.5271/sjweh.4080

DO - 10.5271/sjweh.4080

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36749944

VL - 49

SP - 193

EP - 200

JO - Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health

JF - Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health

SN - 0355-3140

IS - 3

ER -