Prevalence of flu-like syndrome in healthcare workers in Brazil: a national study, 2020

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To evaluate the prevalence of reported symptoms of flu-like syndrome (FS) among HCW and compare HCW and non-HCW on the chance of reporting these symptoms, this study analyzed data of a population-based survey conducted in Brazil. METHODS A cross-sectional analysis was performed with self-reported data from the Brazilian National Household Sample Survey (PNAD Covid-19) from May 2020. The authors analyzed a probability sample of 125,179 workers, aged 18 to 65, with monthly income lower than US$ 3 500. The variable HCW or non-HCW was the covariate of interest and having reported FS symptoms or not was the outcome variable. Authors tested interactions of HCW with other covariates. A logit model – when controlling for sociodemographic, employment, and geographic characteristics – investigated the chance of HCW reporting FS compared to non-HCW. RESULTS HCW have a significant effect (odds ratio of 1.369) on reporting FS symptoms when compared to non-HCW. HCW account for 4.17% of the sample, with a higher frequency of FS (3.38%) than observed for non-HCW (2.43%). Female, non-white and older individuals had higher chance to report FS. CONCLUSIONS The HCW had a higher chance of reporting symptoms than non-HCW aged over 18 years in the labor force. These results emphasize guidelines for preventive measures to reduce workplace exposures in the healthcare facilities. The prevalence is disproportionately affecting HCW women and HCW non-whites. In the regions North and Northeast the steeper progression is consistent with the hypothesis of socioeconomic factors, and it explains the greater prevalence in HCW and non-HCW living in those territories.

摘要
研究目的：本研究依托巴西开展的基于人群的调查数据，旨在评估医护人员（Healthcare Worker，简称HCW）上报流感样综合征（Flu-like Syndrome，简称FS）症状的流行情况，并对比医护人员与非医护人员上报此类症状的概率差异。
方法：本研究对2020年5月巴西全国住户抽样调查（PNAD Covid-19）的自我报告数据开展横断面分析。研究纳入125179名年龄介于18至65岁、月收入低于3500美元的概率抽样劳动者作为分析样本。核心协变量为是否为医护人员，结局变量为是否上报流感样综合征症状。研究者检验了医护人员与其他协变量的交互效应。在控制社会人口学、就业及地理特征的前提下，通过logit模型对比分析了医护人员与非医护人员上报流感样综合征症状的概率。
结果：相较于非医护人员，医护人员上报流感样综合征症状的效应具有统计学显著性（优势比OR=1.369）。医护人员占总样本的4.17%，其流感样综合征症状上报率（3.38%）高于非医护人员的2.43%。女性、非白人及年龄更大的人群上报流感样综合征症状的概率更高。
结论：在18岁及以上的劳动力人群中，医护人员上报流感样综合征症状的概率显著高于非医护人员。本研究结果为制定降低医疗机构工作场所职业暴露风险的预防措施指南提供了实证依据。流感样综合征的流行对医护人员中的女性及非白人群体造成了不成比例的影响。在北部与东北部地区，症状上报率的上升幅度更为显著，这与社会经济因素假说相符，同时也解释了居住在这些地区的医护人员与非医护人员症状上报率更高的原因。