Exploring the relationship between job characteristics and infection: Application of a COVID-19 job exposure matrix to SARS-CoV-2 infection data in the United Kingdom
Rhodes, Sarah; Beale, Sarah; Wilkinson, Jack; van Veldhoven, Karin; Basinas, Ioannis; Mueller, William; Oude Hengel, Karen Marieke; Burdorf, Alex; Peters, Susan; Stokholm, Zara A; Schlünssen, Vivi; Kolstad, Henrik; Pronk, Anjoeka; Pearce, Neil; Hayward, Andrew; van Tongeren, Martie
(2023) Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, volume 49, issue 3, pp. 171 - 181
(Article)
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess whether workplace exposures as estimated via a COVID-19 job exposure matrix (JEM) are associated with SARS-CoV-2 in the UK. METHODS: Data on 244 470 participants were available from the Office for National Statistics Coronavirus Infection Survey (CIS) and 16 801 participants from the Virus
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Watch Cohort, restricted to workers aged 20-64 years. Analysis used logistic regression models with SARS-CoV-2 as the dependent variable for eight individual JEM domains (number of workers, nature of contacts, contact via surfaces, indoor or outdoor location, ability to social distance, use of face covering, job insecurity, and migrant workers) with adjustment for age, sex, ethnicity, index of multiple deprivation (IMD), region, household size, urban versus rural area, and health conditions. Analyses were repeated for three time periods (i) February 2020 (Virus Watch)/April 2020 (CIS) to May 2021), (ii) June 2021 to November 2021, and (iii) December 2021 to January 2022. RESULTS: Overall, higher risk classifications for the first six domains tended to be associated with an increased risk of infection, with little evidence of a relationship for domains relating to proportion of workers with job insecurity or migrant workers. By time there was a clear exposure-response relationship for these domains in the first period only. Results were largely consistent across the two UK cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: An exposure-response relationship exists in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic for number of contacts, nature of contacts, contacts via surfaces, indoor or outdoor location, ability to social distance and use of face coverings. These associations appear to have diminished over time.
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Keywords: cohort, coronavirus, COVID-19, COVID-19 job exposure matrix, epidemiology, exposure, infection, JEM, job characteristic, job exposure matrix, occupation, SARS-CoV-2, United Kingdom, virus, workplace
ISSN: 0355-3140
Publisher: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
Note: Funding Information: Grant Ref: MR/V028375/1 awarded on 17 August 2020. The study also received $15 000 of Facebook advertising credit to support a pilot social media recruitment campaign on 18 August 2020. The Wellcome Trust supported the study through a Wellcome Clinical Research Career Development Fellowship to RA [206602]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, in the writing of this report, or in the decision to submit the paper for publication. Funding Information: This work was supported by funding from the PRO-TECT COVID-19 National Core Study on transmission and environment, managed by the Health and Safety Executive on behalf of HM Government. The Virus Watch study is supported by the MRC Grant Ref: MC_ PC 19070 awarded to UCL on 30 March 2020 and MRC Grant Ref: MR/V028375/1 awarded on 17 August 2020. The study also received $15 000 of Facebook advertising credit to support a pilot social media recruitment campaign on 18 August 2020. The Wellcome Trust supported the study through a Wellcome Clinical Research Career Development Fellowship to RA [206602]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, in the writing of this report, or in the decision to submit the paper for publication. Funding Information: SR, JW, KvV, IB, WM, NP, AH and MvT report funding from the UK Health and Safety Executive paid to their institution. SB reports funding to her institution from the Medical Research Council MR/N013867/1. AB, SP, ZS, VS, HK, AP declare no conflict of interests. Funding Information: This work was supported by funding from the PROTECT COVID-19 National Core Study on transmission and environment, managed by the Health and Safety Executive on behalf of HM Government. The Virus Watch study is supported by the MRC Grant Ref: MC_ PC 19070 awarded to UCL on 30 March 2020 and MRC Publisher Copyright: © 2023, Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health. All rights reserved.
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