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：本研究旨在评估医护人员（Healthcare Worker，HCW）报告的流感样综合征（Flu-like Syndrome, FS）症状患病率，并对比医护人员与非医护人员报告此类症状的概率，为此分析了巴西一项基于人群的调查数据。
研究方法：本研究对2020年5月巴西国家家庭抽样调查（PNAD Covid-19）的自我报告数据开展横断面分析。研究者分析了125179名年龄在18至65岁之间、月收入低于3500美元的概率抽样样本。核心协变量为是否为医护人员，结局变量为是否报告流感样综合征症状。研究者还检验了医护人员与其他协变量的交互作用。在控制社会人口学、就业及地理特征的前提下，采用logit模型对比医护人员与非医护人员报告流感样综合征症状的概率。
研究结果：与非医护人员相比，医护人员报告流感样综合征症状的效应具有统计学显著性（优势比为1.369）。样本中医护人员占比4.17%，其流感样综合征报告率（3.38%）高于非医护人员（2.43%）。女性、非白人群体及年龄更大的个体报告流感样综合征症状的概率更高。
研究结论：在18岁及以上的劳动力人群中，医护人员报告症状的概率高于非医护人员。本研究结果强调需制定指南以落实医疗机构内的职业暴露预防措施。流感样综合征的患病率对医护女性及非白人医护群体的影响尤为突出。在北部与东北部地区，患病率的快速增长与社会经济因素假说相符，这也解释了居住在这些地区的医护人员与非医护人员患病率更高的原因。