Covid-19 risk by work-related factors: pooled analysis of individual linked data from 14 cohorts (original) (raw)
Gittins, M. et al. (2024) Covid-19 risk by work-related factors: pooled analysis of individual linked data from 14 cohorts.Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 81(11), pp. 564-573. (doi: 10.1136/oemed-2023-109391) (PMID:39632064)
Full text not currently available from Enlighten.
Abstract
Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection rates vary by occupation, but the association with work-related characteristics (such as home working, keyworker or furlough) are not fully understood and may depend on ascertainment approach. We assessed infection risks across work-related characteristics and compared findings using different ascertainment approaches. Methods: Participants of 14 UK-based longitudinal cohort studies completed surveys before and during the COVID-19 pandemic about their health, work and behaviour. These data were linked to the National Health Service digital health records, including COVID-19 diagnostic testing, within the UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UK LLC) research environment. Poisson regression modelled self-reported infection and diagnostic test confirmed infection within each cohort for work-related characteristics. Relative Risk (RR) were then combined using random effects meta-analysis. Results: Between March 2020 and March 2021, 74 757 individuals completed 167 302 surveys. Overall, 15 174 survey responses self-reported an infection, whereas 3053 had a linked positive test. Self-reported infection risk was greater in keyworkers versus not (RR=1.24 (95% CI 1.17, 1.31), among non-home working (1.08 (0.98, 1.19)) or some home working (1.06 (0.97, 1.17)) versus all home working. Part-time workers versus full time (0.94 (0.89, 0.99)) and furlough versus not (0.93 (0.88, 0.99)) had reduced risk. Results for the linked positive test outcome were comparable in direction but greater in magnitude, for example, a 1.85 (1.56, 2.20) in keyworkers. Conclusion: The UK LLC provides new opportunities for researchers to investigate risk factors, including occupational factors, for ill-health events in multiple largescale UK cohorts. Risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 illness appeared to be associated with work-related characteristics. Associations using linked diagnostic test data appeared stronger than self-reported infection status.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | This work was supported by the National Core Studies, an initiative funded by UKRI, NIHR and the Health and Safety Executive. The COVID-19 Longitudinal Health and Wellbeing National Core Study was funded by the Medical Research Council (MC_PC_20030). Understanding Society is an initiative funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and various government departments, with scientific leadership by the Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, and survey delivery by NatCen Social Research and Kantar Public. The Understanding Society COVID-19 study is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ES/K005146/1) and the Health Foundation (2076161). The research data are distributed by the UK Data Service. In the next steps, the British Cohort Study 1970 and National Child Development Study 1958 are supported by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Resource Centre 2015-20 grant (ES/M001660/1) and a host of other co-founders. The COVID-19 data collections in these four cohorts were funded by the UKRI grant Understanding the economic, social and health impacts of COVID-19 using lifetime data: evidence from five nationally representative UK cohorts (ES/V012789/1). The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing was developed by a team of researchers based at University College London, NatCen Social Research, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the University of Manchester and the University of East Anglia. The data were collected by the NatCen Social Research. The funding is currently provided by the National Institute on Aging in the USA and a consortium of UK government departments coordinated by the National Institute for Health Research. Funding has also been received by the Economic and Social Research Council. The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing Covid19 Substudy was supported by the UK Economic and Social Research Grant (ESRC) ES/V003941/1. Generation Scotland received core support from the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health Directorates (CZD/16/6) and the Scottish Funding Council (HR03006). Genotyping of the GS:SFHS samples was carried out by the Genetics Core Laboratory at the Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, Edinburgh, Scotland, and was funded by the Medical Research Council UK and the Wellcome Trust (Wellcome Trust Strategic Award 'STratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally' (STRADL) Reference 104036/Z/14/Z). Generation Scotland is funded by the Wellcome Trust (216767/Z/19/Z). Recruitment to this study was facilitated by SHARE— the Scottish Health Research Register and Biobank. Born in Bradford (BiB) receives core infrastructure funding from the Wellcome Trust (WT101597MA), and a joint grant from the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and UK Economic and Social Science Research Council (ESRC) (MR/N024397/1) and one from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) (CS/16/4/32482). The National Institute for Health Research Yorkshire and Humber ARC and Clinical Research Network both provide support for BiB research. SVK acknowledges funding from a NRS Senior Clinical Fellowship (SCAF/15/02). SVK acknowledges funding from the Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00022/2) and the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office (SPHSU17). JW acknowledges funding from the Belgian National Scientific Fund (FNRS) CQ grant n°40010931. OKLH, RJS, SVK and ED acknowledge funding from the Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00022/2) and the Scottish Chief Scientist Office (SPHSU17). Note that these codes will apply to all listed UoG authors. RJS acknowledges funding by Health Data Research UK (SS005) and an Understanding Society Fellowship (originating ESRC grant reference ES/S007253/1). |
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Katikireddi, Professor Vittal and Shaw, Dr Richard and Demou, Dr Evangelia |
| Authors: | Gittins, M., Wels, J., Rhodes, S., Demou, E., Shaw, R. J., Hamilton, O. K.L., Zhu, J., Wielgoszewska, B., Stevenson, A., Badrick, E., Rhead, R., Ploubidis, G., Katikireddi, V., and van Tongeren, M. |
| College/School: | College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU |
| Journal Name: | Occupational and Environmental Medicine |
| Publisher: | BMJ Publishing Group |
| ISSN: | 1351-0711 |
| ISSN (Online): | 1470-7926 |
| Published Online: | 04 December 2024 |
University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record
Funder and Project Information
1
Inequalities in health
Alastair Leyland
SPHSU17
HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
1
Inequalities in health
Alastair Leyland
MC_UU_00022/2
HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
Understanding the impacts of welfare policy on health: A novel data linkage study
Srinivasa Katikireddi
SCAF/15/02
SHW - Public Health
Deposit and Record Details
| ID Code: | 335815 |
|---|---|
| Depositing User: | Ms Jacqui Brannan |
| Datestamp: | 05 Feb 2025 14:01 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Feb 2025 14:43 |
| Date of acceptance: | 4 September 2024 |
| Date of first online publication: | 4 December 2024 |
| Data Availability Statement: | Yes |