COVID-19 as the occupational disease in employees of the University Hospital Ostrava.

Objectives: COVID-19 disease, which has caused a global pandemic, poses significant threat to the healthcare system as healthcare workers (HCW) are at an elevated risk of contracting the disease and being temporarily removed from their regular duties. This study analyses and evaluates a cohort of employees at the University Hospital Ostrava (UHO) who applied for the recognition of COVID-19 as an occupational disease.

Methods: The disease characteristics and risk factors for severe cases of COVID-19 were analysed for all 474 claimants who applied for recognition of an occupational disease during the reporting period (March 2020 to November 2022) and were obtained from medical records. Statistical evaluation was performed using Fisher's exact test, Pearson's chi-square test and logistic regression analysis.

Results: The largest number of diseases was objectified in the period from September to November 2020. The most frequently reported symptoms were subfebrilia or febrilia (81.4%), olfactory dysfunction (75.1%), and dry cough (74.3%). A severe course of COVID-19 was experienced by 15.4% of the cohort. Additionally, 76.8% reported having at least one chronic disease. The risk of severe course was found to increase with the number of chronic diseases (p = 0.017). Individuals with chronic respiratory disease (CRD) had a 2.75-fold increased risk, and women had an approximately threefold increased risk. Higher risk was also associated with increasing age.

Conclusions: Healthcare workers face a heightened risk of severe COVID-19, particularly among those with CRD, women and older age. Identifying these risk factors underscores the need for targeted preventive measures and early interventions to protect this vulnerable group and reduce the incidence of severe outcomes.