Systematic review of productivity loss among healthcare workers due to Covid-19

Objective To assess existing evidence on the effects of COVID-19 on healthcare workers (HCWs) using the health-related productivity loss approach. Methods A systematic search of online databases including PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, Web of Science, and EMBASE was conducted up to 25 August 2020. Following two screening stages, studies related to the effects of COVID-19 on healthcare workers were included in the study. Results 82 studies were included in the analysis. The COVID-19 related death rate among HCWs ranged from 0.00-0.7%, while the positive test incidence varied between 0.00 and 24.4%. 39 evidences assessed psychological disorders. A wide range of psychological disorders observed among HCWs: 5.2 to 71.2% in anxiety, 1.00 to 88.3% in stress, 8.27 to 61.67% in insomnia, and 4.5 to 50.4% in depression. Conclusions The early evidence suggests that healthcare workers are one of the most vulnerable groups when it comes to positive COVID-19 infection, mortality, and mental illness.

Automated summary

The study assessed existing evidence on the effects of COVID-19 on healthcare workers, finding that healthcare workers are highly vulnerable to positive COVID-19 infection, mortality, and mental illness. The analysis included 82 studies and highlighted the significant impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers' physical and mental health.