Am J Prev Med. 2023 Sep 30:S0749-3797(23)00385-9. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.09.024. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disproportionately impacted workers in certain industries and occupations. The infection risk for SARS-CoV-2 and future respiratory viruses in the workplace is a significant concern for workers, employers, and policymakers. The current study describes the differences in COVID-19 mortality by sex and industry/occupation among working-age U.S. residents in 49 states and New York City.
METHODS: The 2021 National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) public use multiple-cause-of-death data for U.S. decedents aged 15‒64 years (working-age) with information on usual industry and occupation were analyzed in 2022. Age-standardized COVID-19 death rates for selected demographic characteristics and adjusted proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) were estimated by sex and by usual industry and occupation.
RESULTS: In 2021, 133,596 (14.3%) U.S. decedents aged 15‒64 years had COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause of death; the highest COVID-19 death rate was among persons aged 55‒64 years (172.4/100,000 population) and males (65.5/100,000 population). Among males, American Indian or Alaskan Native and among females, Black or African American had the highest death rates. Hispanic males had higher age-adjusted death rates than Hispanic females. Working-age male decedents in the public administration (PMR=1.39) and management of companies & enterprises industries (PMR=1.39) and community and social services occupations (PMR=1.68) and female decedents in the utilities industry (PMR=1.20) and protective services occupation (PMR=1.18) had the highest PMRs.
CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 death rates and PMRs varied by sex, industry, and occupation groups. These findings underscore the importance of workplace public health interventions, which could protect workers and their communities.
PMID:37783282 | DOI:10.1016/j.amepre.2023.09.024
