Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39564431›Full record

ArticleF1000Research2024

Health care workers hospitalized for COVID-19 in Liberia: who were they, and what were their outcomes?

Darius B Lehyen, Louis Ako-Egbe, Emmanuel Dwalu, Benjamin T Vonhm, Pruthu Thekkur, Rony Zachariah, Luke Bawo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in F1000Research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Darius B LehyenDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute of Liberia, Monrovia, 1000, Liberia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9894-7409
Louis Ako-EgbeHealth System Strengthening Department, World Health Organization, Country Office, Monrovia, 1000, Liberia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3269-8509
Emmanuel DwaluDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute of Liberia, Monrovia, 1000, Liberia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2875-4130
Benjamin T VonhmDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute of Liberia, Monrovia, 1000, Liberia.
Pruthu ThekkurOperational Research Department, Centre for Operational Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, 75001, France.
Rony ZachariahImplementation Research Department, UNICEF, UNDP, World Bank, WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), Geneva, 1211, Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2915-9328
Luke BawoHealth Information, Monitoring & Evaluation and Research Department, Ministry of Health, Monrovia, 1000, Liberia.

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Sustaining a 'fit-for-purpose' health workforce requires a better understanding of the health care worker cadres that are affected during pandemics and their outcomes. In hospitalized health care workers with confirmed COVID-19 between March 2020 and May 2023 in Liberia, we determined the hospitalization and case fatality rates, type of health care worker cadres affected, their demographic and clinical characteristics and hospital exit outcomes. Methods: This was a cohort study using routine data extracted from hospitalization forms for health care workers in 24 designated COVID-19 treatment facilities. Results: Of the 424 health care workers with COVID-19, hospitalization rates progressively declined between 2020 and 2023, (P<0.001) with the highest rates in 2020 (24/1,000 health care workers) and 2021 (14/1,000 health care workers). Case fatality was 2% in both 2020 and 2021 with no deaths thereafter. Among those hospitalized, the highest proportions were nursing cadres with 191(45%), physicians with 63 (15%) and laboratory technicians with 42 (10%). The most frequent reported site for COVID-19 infection was the health facility (326, 89%). COVID-19 vaccination coverage in health care workers was 20%. The majority (91%) of hospitalizations were for mild symptomatic infections. Even in referral centres (n-52), 18 (35%) were for mild infections. Of the 424 who were hospitalized, 412 (97%) recovered, 9 (2%) died and 3 (1%) either left against medical advice or absconded. Of the nine deaths, none were vaccinated, seven had moderate-to-severe disease but were not referred to specialized COVID-19 treatment centers. Conclusions: The hospitalized health care workers for COVID-19 were predominantly clinical and laboratory personnel who were mostly unvaccinated, and health facilities were hot-spots for contracting infections. The triage and referral system was weak with unnecessary hospitalization of mild infections. This study provides useful insights for outbreak preparedness including priority vaccination and improving health care worker safety in Liberia.

Indexed as

COVID-19Health PersonnelHospitalizationAdultCohort StudiesFemaleHumansLiberiaMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsSARS-CoV-2EpiCollect5Health Systems StrengtheningInfection Prevention ControlOperational ResearchPandemicsSORT ITSTROBE GuidelinesUniversal Health Coverage

Identifiers

PMID39564431
PMCPMC11574328

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.