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COVID-19 as an Occupational Disease—Temporal Trends in the Number and Severity of Claims in Germany

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  • Albert Nienhaus

    (Competence Center for Epidemiology and Health Services Research for Healthcare Professionals (CVcare), Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany
    Department for Occupational Medicine, Hazardous Substances and Health Sciences (AGG), Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW), 22089 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Johanna Stranzinger

    (Department for Occupational Medicine, Hazardous Substances and Health Sciences (AGG), Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW), 22089 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Agnessa Kozak

    (Department for Occupational Medicine, Hazardous Substances and Health Sciences (AGG), Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW), 22089 Hamburg, Germany)

Abstract

COVID-19 is considered an occupational disease (OD), when infection occurs at the workplace for health workers (HW). Because of the increased infection risk of these workers, they were deemed to be a priority group when the vaccination campaign started in Germany in December 2020. By December 2021, more than 90% of HW had been vaccinated twice. We studied the number and the time trend concerning the severity of OD claims related to COVID-19. Workers’ compensation claims for OD are recorded in a standardized database of the Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW). We analyzed all notifiable COVID-19 related claims filed between 1 March 2020 and 30 September 2022. The proportion of severe cases was estimated by inpatient stays, injury benefit payments, rehabilitation measures, and deaths. The data analysis was descriptive. Due to COVID-19, 317,403 notifiable cases were reported to the BGW. Of these, 200,505 (63.2%) had thus far been recognized as OD. The number of notifiable cases was highest in 2022 and lowest in 2020. In total, 3289 insured individuals were admitted to rehabilitation management. This represented 1.6% of all recognized ODs due to COVID-19 at the BGW. The proportion of cases admitted to rehabilitation management decreased from 4.5% of all recognized ODs in 2020 to 3.2% in 2021 and to 0.1% of all recognized cases in 2022. For inpatient stays, injury benefit payment, and death, a similar trend was observed. Therefore, it might be concluded that the successful vaccination campaign mitigated the negative health effects of COVID-19 on HW. Even with vaccination, severe cases can occur. Therefore, infection prevention at the workplace remains paramount.

Suggested Citation

  • Albert Nienhaus & Johanna Stranzinger & Agnessa Kozak, 2023. "COVID-19 as an Occupational Disease—Temporal Trends in the Number and Severity of Claims in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-9, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:2:p:1182-:d:1030137
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Albert Nienhaus, 2018. "Infections in Healthcare Workers in Germany—22-Year Time Trends," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-12, November.
    2. Albert Nienhaus & Rozita Hod, 2020. "COVID-19 among Health Workers in Germany and Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-10, July.
    3. Martin Platten & Albert Nienhaus & Claudia Peters & Rita Cranen & Hilmar Wisplinghoff & Jan Felix Kersten & Alexander Daniel Bach & Guido Michels, 2022. "Cumulative Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 in Healthcare Workers at a General Hospital in Germany during the Pandemic—A Longitudinal Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-14, February.
    4. Albert Nienhaus, 2021. "COVID-19 among Health Workers in Germany—An Update," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-10, August.
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