Determining factors for negative nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 and the return to work in a cohort of healthcare workers in a teaching hospital during the first four waves of the pandemic

When the pandemic was declared it was clear that healthcare workers were the category most at risk of infection. Our study aimed to identify factors influencing nasopharyngeal swab negativity and days to return to work after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cohort of healthcare workers in the Teaching Hospital Umberto I in Rome, using a disability management approach.

A prospective cohort study was conducted on a sample of 481 healthcare workers from March 2020 to December 2021. The time to nasopharyngeal swab negativization by RT-PCR technique and the time to return to work were evaluated for the participants in our study, analysing factors that could have influenced the extension of these times. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis was performed.

Our analysis showed an association between severity of COVID-19 and prolongation of TNF-negative times, there was a strong association between the two dependent variables: TNF-negative times and days to return to work (β = 0.660; p < 0.001). Severity of illness and female sex are clear-cut determinants of prolongation of return to work and time to nasopharyngeal swab negativity. In the age group over 48 years, hypertension is positively associated with days of negativization, while BMI is positively associated with return to work days.

It seems clear that in our age the workers’ health must be pointed out and stressed to improve the welfare of the worker environment. It would be desirable to increase that kind of study and apply the disability manager in other situations where the workers need to be protected.