ArticleBMC infectious diseases2022
Regional disparities in SARS-CoV-2 infections by labour market indicators: a spatial panel analysis using nationwide German data on notified infections.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Socioeconomic determinants of COVID-19 incidence in a German rural area.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Nationwide cross-sectional study results on long-term care and SARS-CoV-2 infection among older adults in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Changing socioeconomic inequalities in the incidence and case fatality rates of COVID-19 in Germany, March 2020 through May 2022: an ecological study.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Can pre-existing medical conditions explain occupational differences in COVID-19 disease severity? An analysis of 3.17 million people insured in Germany.Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health · 2025Article
- Regional COVID-19 measures and effects on subjective well-being in Germany: observing trends over time with data from a large population survey.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Education and pandemic SARS-CoV-2 infections in the German working population - the mediating role of working from home.Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health · 2024Observational
- [Occupational differences of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in Germany. An analysis of health insurance data from 3.17 million insured persons].Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz · 2023Article
- Exploration of the COVID-19 pandemic at the neighborhood level in an intra-urban setting.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundRegional labour markets and their properties are named as potential reasons for regional variations in levels of SARS-CoV-2 infections rates, but empirical evidence is missing.
methodsUsing nationwide data on notified laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections, we calculated weekly age-standardised incidence rates (ASIRs) for working-age populations at the regional level of Germany's 400 districts. Data covered nearly 2 years (March 2020 till December 2021), including four main waves of the pandemic. For each of the pandemic waves, we investigated regional differences in weekly ASIRs according to three regional labour market indicators: (1) employment rate, (2) employment by sector, and (3) capacity to work from home. We use spatial panel regression analysis, which incorporates geospatial information and accounts for regional clustering of infections.
resultsFor all four pandemic waves under study, we found that regions with higher proportions of people in employment had higher ASIRs and a steeper increase of infections during the waves. Further, the composition of the workforce mattered: rates were higher in regions with larger secondary sectors or if opportunities of working from home were comparatively low. Associations remained consistent after adjusting for potential confounders, including a proxy measure of regional vaccination progress.
conclusionsIf further validated by studies using individual-level data, our study calls for increased intervention efforts to improve protective measures at the workplace, particularly among workers of the secondary sector with no opportunities to work from home. It also points to the necessity of strengthening work and employment as essential components of pandemic preparedness plans.
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