About 50 percent of healthcare workers with symptomatic COVID-19 in a new study showed up for work, indicating concern over high workload burden for coworkers and personal responsibility.
The findings were published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology and involved an observational cohort of all healthcare workers at the VA Boston Healthcare System who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between December 1, 2020, and September 30, 2021. During that period, all healthcare workers were required to self-review COVID-19 symptoms.
Of 255 healthcare workers who had a symptomatic infection, — including those involved in direct patient care — nearly 50 percent reported presenteeism at the time of diagnosis.
"Among all respondents, concerns over workload burden for coworkers and personal responsibility were endorsed more frequently (66 percent and 45 percent, respectively) than limits on paid leave or perceived expectations to work while sick," researchers said.
View the full study here.