Risk factors of COVID-19 in frontline healthcare workers in Mashhad university hospitals

Introduction: After emerging COVID-19, it became a worldwide concern. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of getting infection and they have the capability to transmit virus to patients and also to coworkers.There are few studies about risk factors of frontline HCWs. Objectives: In this study, we evaluated the risks of infection in frontline HCWs in Mashhad university hospitals. Methods: This was a cross sectional study in HCWs of Mashhad University Hospitals between March till July 2020. Participants were asked by telephone about the risk factors of getting COVID-19 infection. The checklist was researcher-made and was on the basis of WHO risk factors regarded to COVID-19, MERS and SARS. Results: In this study, 534 HCWs with positive PCR test for COVID- 19 were enrolled. The response rate in our study was 64.04%. The mean age of participants was 36.02 ± 8.5 years. Among them 176 and 239 were participated in infection control workshop and hand hygiene workshop before COVID-19 pandemic respectively. Most of the frontline HCWs were nurse. Malaise (269, 78.7%), fever (233, 68.1) and headache (189, 55.3) were the most common symptoms. Having underlying disease was related to hospitalization (P = 0.012). Being smoker and participating in intubation procedure were independent predictors of hospitalization in HCWs. Conclusion: Frontline HCWs had a significantly increased risk of COVID-19 infection. Although adequate supplies of PPE were necessary, it did not completely mitigate high-risk exposures. Being smoker and participating in intubation procedure were independent predictors of hospitalization in HCWs.