Sex Differences in COVID-19 Deaths, by Industry and Occupation, 2021

Details

• Personal Author:
  Blackley DJ ; Dodd KE ; Kurth LM ; Mazurek MJ ; Syamlal G
• Description:
  Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted workers in certain industries and occupations. The infection risk for SARS-CoV-2 and future respiratory viruses in the workplace is a significant concern for workers, employers, and policymakers. This study describes the differences in COVID-19 mortality by sex and industry/occupation among working-age U.S. residents in 49 states and New York City. Methods: The 2021 National Vital Statistics System public use multiple-cause-of-death data for U.S. decedents aged 15-64 years (working age) with information on usual industry and occupation were analyzed in 2022. Age-standardized COVID-19 death rates for selected demographic characteristics and adjusted proportional mortality ratios were estimated by sex and usual industry and occupation. Results: In 2021, 133,596 (14.3%) U.S. decedents aged 15-64 years had COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause of death; the highest COVID-19 death rate was among persons aged 55-64 years (172.4 of 100,000 population) and males (65.5 of 100,000 population). Among males and females, American Indian or Alaskan Native and Black or African American, respectively, had the highest death rates. Hispanic males had higher age-adjusted death rates than Hispanic females. Working-age male decedents in the public administration (proportional mortality ratio=1.39) and management of companies and enterprises industries (proportional mortality ratio=1.39) and community and social services occupations (proportional mortality ratio=1.68) and female decedents in the utilities industry (proportional mortality ratio=1.20) and protective services occupation (proportional mortality ratio=1.18) had the highest proportional mortality ratios. Conclusions: COVID-19 death rates and proportional mortality ratios varied by sex, industry, and occupation groups. These findings underscore the importance of workplace public health interventions, which could protect workers and their communities. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Case Reports Dust Ergonomics Explosions Fires Mining Occupational Health Quality Control Safety
• Keywords:
  Coronavirus COVID-19 Epidemiology Mortality Rates Occupations Public Health SARS-CoV-2 Sex Factors
• ISSN:
  0749-3797
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  RHD - Respiratory Health Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  226-234
• Volume:
  66
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20068600
• Citation:
  Am J Prev Med 2024 Feb; 66(2):226-234
• Contact Point Address:
  Girija Syamlal, Respiratory Health Division, Mailbox H-G900.2, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1000 Frederick Lane, Morgantown, West Virginia, 26508
• Email:
  gos2@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2024
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Preventive Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:bdfdc5168324f4bafdd75a92fa6849c76d35e3fd0f91493cb4d994557ab3ceb3e3f3bf66fd57f5475b80deb22c767634039593e6742d4547cea5159075c3a12c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/207204/cdc_207204_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 251.49 KB ]