Grand Rounds

MMWR Reports on Healthcare Personnel Hospitalized with COVID-19 and Outcomes

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

Kambhampati et al. (MMWR, 2020) reports on the characteristics and outcomes of healthcare personnel (HCP) in the U.S. who were hospitalized for COVID-19

Data source
- COVID-19–Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET)
Setting
- US hospitals in 14 states between March 1 and May 31, 2020
Participants
- Hospitalized patients with a positive PCR test for COVID-19 during hospitalization or in the 14 days prior to admission
Study design
- HCP definition: Persons working in health care settings, home health care services, or health care occupations within other settings (e.g., school nurses) who have potential for exposure to patients or infectious materials
- HCP were stratified by
  - Expected to have direct patient contact
  - Not expected to have direct patient contact

6,760 hospitalized adults had known HCP status
- 5.9% of the overall cohort were classified as HCP
Demographics
- Median age: 49 years (IQR 38 to 57 years)
- Female: 71.9%
- Race/ethnicity breakdown
  - Black: 52.0%
  - White: 27.4%
  - Hispanic/Latinx: 8.6%
- Had at least 1 underlying medical condition: 89.8%
  - Obesity: 72.5%
  - Hypertension: 40.6%
  - Diabetes: 30.9%
HCP hospitalizations based on patient contact
- Direct patient contact: 67.4%
- Nursing-related occupations had the largest proportion of hospitalized HCP: 36.3%
Hospitalization characteristics
- Median length of hospitalization: 4 days (IQR 3 to 9 days)
- Received investigational treatments: 48.2%
Indicators of severe disease in HCP
- Admitted to ICU: 27.5%
- Median length of stay: 6 days (IQR 3 to 20 days)
- Required invasive mechanical ventilation: 15.8%
- Died: 4.2%

During the study period, HCP made up approximately 6% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients
A large number of hospitalized HCP had indications of severe disease, including 27.5% being admitted to the ICU

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