Dataset Information

Delayed healthcare seeking and prolonged illness in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a single-centre observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To describe a cohort of self-isolating healthcare workers (HCWs) with presumed COVID-19.

Design

A cross-sectional, single-centre study.

Setting

A large, teaching hospital based in Central London with tertiary infection services.

Participants

236 HCWs completed a survey distributed by internal staff email bulletin. 167 were women and 65 men.

Measures

Information on symptomatology, exposures and health-seeking behaviour were collected from participants by self-report.

Results

The 236 respondents reported illness compatible with COVID-19 and there was an increase in illness reporting during March 2020 Diagnostic swabs were not routinely performed. Cough (n=179, 75.8%), fever (n=138, 58.5%), breathlessness (n=84, 35.6%) were reported. Anosmia was reported in 42.2%. Fever generally settled within 1 week (n=110/138, 88%). Several respondents remained at home and did not seek formal medical attention despite reporting severe breathlessness and measuring hypoxia (n=5/9, 55.6%). 2 patients required hospital admission but recovered following oxygen therapy. 84 respondents (41.2%) required greater than the obligated 7 days off work and 9 required greater than 3 weeks off.

Conclusion

There was a significant increase in staff reporting illness compatible with possible COVID-19 during March 2020. Subsequent serology studies at the same hospital study site have confirmed sero-positivity for COVID-19 up to 45% by the end of April 2020 in frontline HCWs. The study revealed a concerning lack of healthcare seeking in respondents with significant red flag symptoms (severe breathlessness, hypoxia). This study also highlighted anosmia as a key symptom of COVID-19 early in the pandemic, prior to this symptom being more widely recognised as a feature of COVID-19.

SUBMITTER: de Wilton A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7692003 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Delayed healthcare seeking and prolonged illness in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a single-centre observational study.

de Wilton Angus A Kilich Eliz E Chaudhry Zain Z Bell Lucy Ck LC Gahir Joshua J Cadman Jane J Lever Robert A RA Logan Sarah A SA

BMJ open 20201126 11

<h4>Objectives</h4>To describe a cohort of self-isolating healthcare workers (HCWs) with presumed COVID-19.<h4>Design</h4>A cross-sectional, single-centre study.<h4>Setting</h4>A large, teaching hospital based in Central London with tertiary infection services.<h4>Participants</h4>236 HCWs completed a survey distributed by internal staff email bulletin. 167 were women and 65 men.<h4>Measures</h4>Information on symptomatology, exposures and health-seeking behaviour were collected from participant ...[more]

PMID: 33243801

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Dataset Information

Delayed healthcare seeking and prolonged illness in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a single-centre observational study.

Objectives

Design

Setting

Participants

Measures

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Delayed healthcare seeking and prolonged illness in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a single-centre observational study.

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