Excess risk of COVID-19 infection and mental distress in healthcare workers during successive pandemic waves: Analysis of matched cohorts of healthcare workers and community referents in Alberta, Canada

Auteurs

Jean-Michel Galarneau, Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
France Labrèche, Research Department, Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail, Montréal, QC, Canada
Quentin Durand-Moreau, Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Shannon Ruzycki, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
Anil Adisesh, Division of Occupational Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Igor Burstyn, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Tanis Zadunayski, Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Nicola Cherry, Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Type de document

Études primaires

Année de publication

2024

Langue

Anglais

Titre de la revue

Canadian Journal of Public Health

Première page

220

Dernière page

229

Résumé

Objectives: To investigate changes in risk of infection and mental distress in healthcare workers (HCWs) relative to the community as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed. Methods: HCWs in Alberta, Canada, recruited to an interprovincial cohort, were asked consent to link to Alberta’s administrative health database (AHDB) and to information on COVID-19 immunization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Those consenting were matched to records of up to five community referents (CRs). Physician diagnoses of COVID-19 were identified in the AHDB from the start of the pandemic to 31 March 2022. Physician consultations for mental health (MH) conditions (anxiety, stress/adjustment reaction, depressive) were identified from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2022. Risks for HCW relative to CR were estimated by fitting wave-specific hazard ratios. Results: Eighty percent (3050/3812) of HCWs consented to be linked to the AHDB; 97% (2959/3050) were matched to 14,546 CRs. HCWs were at greater risk of COVID-19 overall, with first infection defined from either PCR tests (OR=1.96, 95%CI 1.76–2.17) or physician records (OR=1.33, 95%CI 1.21–1.45). They were also at increased risk for each of the three MH diagnoses. In analyses adjusted for confounding, risk of COVID-19 infection was higher than for CRs early in the pandemic and during the fifth (Omicron) wave. The excess risk of stress/adjustment reactions (OR=1.52, 95%CI 1.35–1.71) and depressive conditions (OR=1.39, 95%CI 1.24–1.55) increased with successive waves during the epidemic, peaking in the fourth wave. Conclusion: HCWs were at increased risk of both COVID-19 and mental ill-health with the excess risk continuing late in the pandemic. © The Author(s) 2024.

Mots-clés

Personnel médical, Medical personnel, Santé mentale, Mental health, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Service de santé, Health service, Anxiété, Anxiety, Dépression, Depressive disorder, Stress, Canada

Numéro de projet IRSST

n/a

Citation recommandée

Galarneau, J.-M., Labrèche, F., Durand-Moreau, Q., Ruzycki, S., Adisesh, A., Burstyn, I., . . . Cherry, N. (2024). Excess risk of COVID-19 infection and mental distress in healthcare workers during successive pandemic waves: Analysis of matched cohorts of healthcare workers and community referents in Alberta, Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 115(2), 220-229. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-023-00848-4