SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and social inequalities in different subgroups of healthcare workers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
cross_sectional · Level IV
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 35005692.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1016/j.lana.2021.100170 and PMC identifier 8718903.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-ND.
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Abstract
COVID-19 has exacerbated health inequalities worldwide. Yet, such a perspective has not been investigated in specific healthcare workers and their resulting inclusion as a priority group for vaccination have been an important focus of political and social discussion. This study aimed at investigating whether SARS-CoV-2-seropositivity in healthcare workers in a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was influenced by social determinants of health and the social vulnerability in subgroups of workers. A serological survey was conducted in 1,154 healthcare workers in June and July 2020. The association between the serological test results for detection of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and socioeconomic, occupational characteristics and transportation used by the workers to commute was assessed using the Pearson´s chi-square test and Cramer's V. Overall, the serum prevalence for the virus in the healthcare workers was 30% (342/1141). Non-white workers (208/561) with lower income (169/396) and schooling (150/353), as well as users of the mass transportation system (157/246) showed the highest infection rates. Importantly they mostly corresponded to hospital support workers (131/324), in particular the cleaning personnel (42/70). Accordingly, income, schooling and work modality appeared as negative predictors, as ascertained by forest plot analysis. The data clearly illustrate the inequality in SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Brazilian population, comprising even healthcare workers of the Brazilian unified health system.