Characteristics of healthcare workers with COVID-19: A retrospective descriptive study in a quaternary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Hala A. Amer; Hassan A. Abdallah; Haifa S. Alkheledan; Nadeem S. Gul; Juhaina A. Altayieb; Mona Alsalam; Hani Tamim; Saleh A. Alqahtani; Barbara M. Soule; Ziad A. Memish

doi:10.1016/j.amsu.2021.103069

Characteristics of healthcare workers with COVID-19: A retrospective descriptive study in a quaternary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Hala A. Amer, Hassan A. Abdallah, Haifa S. Alkheledan, Nadeem S. Gul, Juhaina A. Altayieb, Mona Alsalam, Hani Tamim, Saleh A. Alqahtani, Barbara M. Soule, Ziad A. Memish

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical presentation of Healthcare Workers (HCWs) affected by COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted at King Saud Medical City (KSMC), Saudi Arabia (KSA). All KSMC employees who acquired COVID-19 between March 22nd to July 15th, 2020 have been included. Their data has been anonymously analyzed. Findings: During the study period, among the 12000 HCWs working at KSMC, 9.75% tested positive for COVID-19. The source of HCWs infections was mainly community acquired (85%) which included incidences of transmission in hospital dormitories. Transmission among coworkers was the main source of hospital acquired incidences. Direct patient care was reported in 99.8% of study subjects among the high-risk areas, compared to 3.4% in low-risk areas (p-value <0.001), 12-h shifts were more common in the medium and high-risk areas, and at least one symptom was reported by 93.1% of HCWs in high-risk areas compared to 81.6% in low-risk areas (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: In KSA, for HCWs, reducing lapses in compliance with masking in non-patient care areas should be considered. In KSA the role that hospital dormitories play in the community transmission of COVID-19 among HCWs need further studies.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	103069
Journal	Annals of Medicine and Surgery
Volume	72
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2021.103069
State	Published - Dec 2021
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

COVID-19
Healthcare workers
Infection control
Occupational health
Pandemic
Saudi Arabia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Surgery

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10.1016/j.amsu.2021.103069

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Amer, H. A., Abdallah, H. A., Alkheledan, H. S., Gul, N. S., Altayieb, J. A., Alsalam, M., Tamim, H., Alqahtani, S. A., Soule, B. M., & Memish, Z. A. (2021). Characteristics of healthcare workers with COVID-19: A retrospective descriptive study in a quaternary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 72, Article 103069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2021.103069

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title = "Characteristics of healthcare workers with COVID-19: A retrospective descriptive study in a quaternary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia",

abstract = "Background: The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical presentation of Healthcare Workers (HCWs) affected by COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted at King Saud Medical City (KSMC), Saudi Arabia (KSA). All KSMC employees who acquired COVID-19 between March 22nd to July 15th, 2020 have been included. Their data has been anonymously analyzed. Findings: During the study period, among the 12000 HCWs working at KSMC, 9.75% tested positive for COVID-19. The source of HCWs infections was mainly community acquired (85%) which included incidences of transmission in hospital dormitories. Transmission among coworkers was the main source of hospital acquired incidences. Direct patient care was reported in 99.8% of study subjects among the high-risk areas, compared to 3.4% in low-risk areas (p-value <0.001), 12-h shifts were more common in the medium and high-risk areas, and at least one symptom was reported by 93.1% of HCWs in high-risk areas compared to 81.6% in low-risk areas (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: In KSA, for HCWs, reducing lapses in compliance with masking in non-patient care areas should be considered. In KSA the role that hospital dormitories play in the community transmission of COVID-19 among HCWs need further studies.",

keywords = "COVID-19, Healthcare workers, Infection control, Occupational health, Pandemic, Saudi Arabia",

author = "Amer, {Hala A.} and Abdallah, {Hassan A.} and Alkheledan, {Haifa S.} and Gul, {Nadeem S.} and Altayieb, {Juhaina A.} and Mona Alsalam and Hani Tamim and Alqahtani, {Saleh A.} and Soule, {Barbara M.} and Memish, {Ziad A.}",

note = "Funding Information: Thanks, and appreciation to all the members of KSMC Command and Control Center and to all the staff of Prevention and Control of Infection Administration and the high-level committee members for their tremendous efforts toward planning and implementation of COVID-19 mitigation measures. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors",

year = "2021",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.amsu.2021.103069",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "72",

journal = "Annals of Medicine and Surgery",

issn = "2049-0801",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Characteristics of healthcare workers with COVID-19

T2 - A retrospective descriptive study in a quaternary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

AU - Amer, Hala A.

AU - Abdallah, Hassan A.

AU - Alkheledan, Haifa S.

AU - Gul, Nadeem S.

AU - Altayieb, Juhaina A.

AU - Alsalam, Mona

AU - Tamim, Hani

AU - Alqahtani, Saleh A.

AU - Soule, Barbara M.

AU - Memish, Ziad A.

N1 - Funding Information: Thanks, and appreciation to all the members of KSMC Command and Control Center and to all the staff of Prevention and Control of Infection Administration and the high-level committee members for their tremendous efforts toward planning and implementation of COVID-19 mitigation measures. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors

PY - 2021/12

Y1 - 2021/12

N2 - Background: The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical presentation of Healthcare Workers (HCWs) affected by COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted at King Saud Medical City (KSMC), Saudi Arabia (KSA). All KSMC employees who acquired COVID-19 between March 22nd to July 15th, 2020 have been included. Their data has been anonymously analyzed. Findings: During the study period, among the 12000 HCWs working at KSMC, 9.75% tested positive for COVID-19. The source of HCWs infections was mainly community acquired (85%) which included incidences of transmission in hospital dormitories. Transmission among coworkers was the main source of hospital acquired incidences. Direct patient care was reported in 99.8% of study subjects among the high-risk areas, compared to 3.4% in low-risk areas (p-value <0.001), 12-h shifts were more common in the medium and high-risk areas, and at least one symptom was reported by 93.1% of HCWs in high-risk areas compared to 81.6% in low-risk areas (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: In KSA, for HCWs, reducing lapses in compliance with masking in non-patient care areas should be considered. In KSA the role that hospital dormitories play in the community transmission of COVID-19 among HCWs need further studies.

AB - Background: The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical presentation of Healthcare Workers (HCWs) affected by COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted at King Saud Medical City (KSMC), Saudi Arabia (KSA). All KSMC employees who acquired COVID-19 between March 22nd to July 15th, 2020 have been included. Their data has been anonymously analyzed. Findings: During the study period, among the 12000 HCWs working at KSMC, 9.75% tested positive for COVID-19. The source of HCWs infections was mainly community acquired (85%) which included incidences of transmission in hospital dormitories. Transmission among coworkers was the main source of hospital acquired incidences. Direct patient care was reported in 99.8% of study subjects among the high-risk areas, compared to 3.4% in low-risk areas (p-value <0.001), 12-h shifts were more common in the medium and high-risk areas, and at least one symptom was reported by 93.1% of HCWs in high-risk areas compared to 81.6% in low-risk areas (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: In KSA, for HCWs, reducing lapses in compliance with masking in non-patient care areas should be considered. In KSA the role that hospital dormitories play in the community transmission of COVID-19 among HCWs need further studies.

KW - COVID-19

KW - Healthcare workers

KW - Infection control

KW - Occupational health

KW - Pandemic

KW - Saudi Arabia

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U2 - 10.1016/j.amsu.2021.103069

DO - 10.1016/j.amsu.2021.103069

M3 - Article

C2 - 34804524

AN - SCOPUS:85119346847

SN - 2049-0801

VL - 72

JO - Annals of Medicine and Surgery

JF - Annals of Medicine and Surgery

M1 - 103069

ER -

Characteristics of healthcare workers with COVID-19: A retrospective descriptive study in a quaternary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Keywords

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