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 - 2023/4/1
Y1 - 2023/4/1
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 (IRR
adj)1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-2.2], but not intermediate-risk occupations (IRR
adj 0.97 95% 0.8-1.3). IRR for having a partner in a high-risk job were elevated during the first three pandemic waves but not in the fourth (IRR
adj 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 (IRR
adj)1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-2.2], but not intermediate-risk occupations (IRR
adj 0.97 95% 0.8-1.3). IRR for having a partner in a high-risk job were elevated during the first three pandemic waves but not in the fourth (IRR
adj 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.
U2 - 10.5271/sjweh.4080
DO - 10.5271/sjweh.4080
M3 - Article
C2 - 36749944
SN - 0355-3140
VL - 49
SP - 193
EP - 200
JO - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
JF - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
IS - 3
ER -
