A Questionnaire Survey of Personal and Occupational Variables Associated With SARS-COV-2 Infection in Health Care Personnel of the Spanish Central Military Hospital

Abstract

Spain is the country with the highest number of health care workers affected by COVID-19 globally. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection among health care workers (HCWs) at the Gómez Ulla Military Hospital (GUMH). A case-control study was conducted during the first COVID-19 outbreak, including all HCWs at GUMH who met the inclusion criteria. Participants included civilian and military personnel, nursing and medical students from the Spanish Military Academy, medical residents, and nursing residents of the Medical Surgical Specialty in Operations (EMQO). A 33-item questionnaire was emailed to all eligible participants to classify them as sick (cases) or healthy (controls). Out of 150 respondents, 28 (20.7%) tested positive, and 107 (79.3%) tested negative, establishing a SARS-CoV-2 infection rate of 20.7% at GUMH. Among the positive cases, 64.3% were men (P < .05), with a mean age of 47.1 years (SD 13.3), a mean BMI of 25.3 (SD 3.8), and 48.2% classified as overweight; additionally, 59.3% had blood group A and 69.2% were Rh positive. Physicians represented 50% of cases, nurses 32.1%, and auxiliary nurses 17.9% (P < .05). A lower risk of infection was observed in those with vitamin D deficiency who took supplements. Symptoms such as fever, cough, and diarrhea appeared in at least 50% of the cases, with significant differences noted.