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Ubaldi F, Montanari E, Margarucci LM, Caprara C, Gianfranceschi G, Scaramucci E, Piccolella A, Valeriani F, Romano Spica V. Vitamin D status and COVID-19 prevention in a worker subgroup in Italy. Work 2023:WOR220387. [PMID: 36641729 DOI: 10.3233/wor-220387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low levels of vitamin D are widespread in the world's population and associated with sun exposure, genetics, and lifestyles. Office workers in different occupational sectors seem more vulnerable than others. Scientific evidence reports a contribution of vitamin D in resistance to infections, opening to supplementation as a preventive action against pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2. OBJECTIVE A pilot campaign in the workplace during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was conducted based on the preliminary measurement of vitamin D amount and its integration. METHODS A preventive action to contrast the deficiency of vitamin D was offered to a population of 700 bank employees. Vitamin D supplementation was performed between April and June 2021, on workers (n = 139) and showed 25(OH)D serum levels ≤ 30 ng/ml. Demographic, anthropometric and lifestyle information were collected by survey and changes in the serum 25(OH)D amounts were monitored. RESULTS The adherence of the target population to the prevention campaign was 21%. 75% of the enrolled workers had low levels of vitamin D. After the intervention, serum vitamin D levels increased (1.28-fold;p = 0.0001) and 80% of the subjects reported optimal values > 30 ng/ml. Only 2.9% reported slight flu-like symptoms, but only 0.7% was confirmed as COVID-19, with respect to a ten-fold higher incidence in the general population. CONCLUSIONS Vitamin D supplementation can be achieved by simple and noninvasive approaches and can bring along further insights into health literacy on diet and lifestyles, representing an opportunity to protect the population by the widespread state of vitamin deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Elena Scaramucci
- Sant' Andrea Hospital A.O.U., Sapienza University of Rome, Rome,Italy
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van der Feltz S, Peters S, Pronk A, Schlünssen V, Stokholm ZA, Kolstad HA, van Veldhoven K, Basinas I, van Tongeren M, Burdorf A, Oude Hengel KM. Validation of a COVID-19 Job Exposure Matrix (COVID-19-JEM) for Occupational Risk of a SARS-CoV-2 Infection at Work: Using Data of Dutch Workers. Ann Work Expo Health 2022; 67:9-20. [PMID: 35583140 PMCID: PMC9129190 DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxac032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES A COVID-19 Job Exposure Matrix (COVID-19-JEM) has been developed, consisting of four dimensions on transmission, two on mitigation measures, and two on precarious work. This study aims to validate the COVID-19-JEM by (i) comparing risk scores assigned by the COVID-19-JEM with self-reported data, and (ii) estimating the associations between the COVID-19-JEM risk scores and self-reported COVID-19. METHODS Data from measurements 2 (July 2020, n = 7690) and 4 (March 2021, n = 6794) of the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey-COVID-19 (NWCS-COVID-19) cohort study were used. Responses to questions related to the transmission risks and mitigation measures of Measurement 2 were used to calculate self-reported risk scores. These scores were compared with the COVID-19-JEM attributed risk scores, by assessing the percentage agreement and weighted kappa (κ). Based on Measurement 4, logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the associations between all COVID-19-JEM risk scores and self-reported COVID-19 (infection in general and infected at work). RESULTS The agreement between the COVID-19-JEM and questionnaire-based risk scores was good (κ ≥ 0.70) for most dimensions, except work location (κ = 0.56), and face covering (κ = 0.41). Apart from the precarious work dimensions, higher COVID-19-JEM assigned risk scores had higher odds ratios (ORs; ranging between 1.28 and 1.80) on having had COVID-19. Associations were stronger when the infection were thought to have happened at work (ORs between 2.33 and 11.62). CONCLUSIONS Generally, the COVID-19-JEM showed a good agreement with self-reported infection risks and infection rates at work. The next step is to validate the COVID-19-JEM with objective data in the Netherlands and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie van der Feltz
- Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Department of Work Health Technology, Unit Healthy Living, Schipholweg 79-86, 2316 ZL Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Susan Peters
- Department Population Health Sciences, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anjoeka Pronk
- Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Department of Work Health Technology, Unit Healthy Living, Schipholweg 79-86, 2316 ZL Leiden, The Netherlands,Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Department pf Risk Analysis for Products in Development, Princetonlaan 6 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Vivi Schlünssen
- Department of Public Health, Environment, Occupation and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark,National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Zara A Stokholm
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Henrik A Kolstad
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Karin van Veldhoven
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Ioannis Basinas
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Centre for Epidemiology, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Martie van Tongeren
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Centre for Epidemiology, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Alex Burdorf
- Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Public Health, Wytemaweg 80, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Karen M Oude Hengel
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +31-6-468-47-269; e-mail:
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Mat-O-Covid: Validation of a SARS-CoV-2 Job Exposure Matrix (JEM) Using Data from a National Compensation System for Occupational COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19095733. [PMID: 35565128 PMCID: PMC9105377 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19095733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Background. We aimed to assess the validity of the Mat-O-Covid Job Exposure Matrix (JEM) on SARS-CoV-2 using compensation data from the French National Health Insurance compensation system for occupational-related COVID-19. Methods. Deidentified compensation data for occupational COVID-19 in France were obtained between August 2020 and August 2021. The case acceptance was considered as the reference. Mat-O-Covid is an expert-based French JEM on workplace exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Bi- and multivariable models were used to study the association between the exposure assessed by Mat-O-Covid and the reference, as well as the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratios. Results. In the 1140 cases included, there was a close association between the Mat-O-Covid index and the reference (p < 0.0001). The overall predictivity was good, with an AUC of 0.78 and an optimal threshold at 13 per thousand. Using Youden’s J statistic resulted in 0.67 sensitivity and 0.87 specificity. Both positive and negative likelihood ratios were significant: 4.9 [2.4−6.4] and 0.4 [0.3−0.4], respectively. Discussion. It was possible to assess Mat-O-Covid’s validity using data from the national compensation system for occupational COVID-19. Though further studies are needed, Mat-O-Covid exposure assessment appears to be accurate enough to be used in research.
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Descatha A, Fadel M, Sembajwe G, Peters S, Evanoff BA. Job-Exposure Matrix: A Useful Tool for Incorporating Workplace Exposure Data Into Population Health Research and Practice. FRONTIERS IN EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 2:857316. [PMID: 38455292 PMCID: PMC10910984 DOI: 10.3389/fepid.2022.857316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Workplace exposures to physical, chemical, and psychosocial factors account for a large burden of chronic diseases. Obtaining useful estimates of current and past workplace exposures is challenging, particularly in large general population studies. Job-exposure matrices (JEMs) are a useful tool for exposure assessment, particularly when no individual level exposure data are available. A JEM provides a cross-tabulation of job titles (sometimes combined with industry) and estimated exposures to workers carrying out these jobs during different time periods. The major limitation of JEMs is that they do not account for individual variation in exposures within the same job. This limitation is offset by the advantages of low cost, wide applicability, lack of bias from self-reporting, and the ability to estimate exposures based on job titles when no other exposure data exist. There is growing use of JEMs in research examining the role of workplace exposures in the development of chronic diseases, and interest in their application to public health practice. This paper provides a scoping review of JEM use, some examples of JEMs, and brief guidance for the application of JEMs in epidemiological research. In conclusion, JEMs provide a useful tool for researchers and public health practitioners to estimate occupational exposures in large scale epidemiological studies relevant to many health conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Descatha
- Univ Angers, CHU Angers, Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, SFR ICAT, Angers, France
- CHU Angers, Poisoning Control Center-Clinical Data Center,Angers, France
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, Hofstra University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Marc Fadel
- Univ Angers, CHU Angers, Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, SFR ICAT, Angers, France
| | - Grace Sembajwe
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, Hofstra University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Susan Peters
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Bradley A. Evanoff
- Division of General Medical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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