Ethnic disparities in health & social care workers’ exposure, protection, and clinical management of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK

Figures & data

Table 1. Workplace risks by ethnicity, and risk estimates for minority ethnic health-care workers (HCWs) compared to white ethnic HCWs

	Ethnic minority HCWs (n = 136)		White HCWs (n = 320)	Risk estimates^a for ethnic minorities compared to white HCWs
Workplace hazards (modelled as dependent variables)	n (column %)			Univariate Risk (95% CI)	Adjusted^b Risk (95%CI)
Patient facing role
Yes	119 (87.5)	245 (76.6)		2.14 (1.21 to 3.79)**	1.98 (1.07 to 3.69)*
No	17 (12.5)	75 (23.4)		1.00	1.00
Working in area with COVID-19 cases
Yes	86 (63.2)	125 (39.1)		2.68 (1.77 to 4.06)**	2.66 (1.44 to 5.51)**
No	50 (36.8)	195 (60.9)		1.00	1.00
Redeployed to COVID area
Yes	123 (90.4)	303 (94.7)		1.88 (0.89 to 4.00)	1.58 (0.68 to 4.32)
No	13 (9.6)	17 (5.3)		1.00	1.00
Availability of PPE
Adequate	70 (51.5)	160 (50.0)		1.00	1.00
Not adequate	30 (22.0)	81 (25.3)		0.85 (0.51 to 1.41)	0.75 (0.43 to 1.29)
Undecided/unknown	28 (20.6)	61 (19.1)		1.05 (0.62to 1.78)	0.94 (0.53 to 1.68)
No response	8 (5.9)	18 (5.6)		-	-
Aware of PPE policies
Start of pandemic	3 (2.2)	114 (35.6)		1.00	1.00
Peak of pandemic	65 (47.8)	180 (56.3)		0.62 (0.41 to 0.95)*	0.68 (0.43 to 1.07)
Decline of pandemic	64 (47.0)	16 (5.0)		0.44 (0.14 to 1.37)	0.48 (0.14 to 1.67)
Not aware	4 (3.0)	10 (3.1)		0.53 (0.14 to 1.98)	0.32 (0.06 to 1.70)
Testing for staff
Start of first peak	6 (4.4)	29 (9.1)		1.00	1.00
During first peak	88 (64.7)	92 (60.0)		2.22 (0.89 to 5.53)	2.46 (0.94 to 6.47)
Decline of first peak	42 (30.9)	99 (30.9)		2.05 (0.79 to 5.30)	2.58 (0.94 to 7.09)
Training on PPE
In person	57 (38.2)	75 (23.4)		2.05 (1.17 to 3.60)*	2.12 (1.16 to 3.90)*
Online/handouts	52 (41.9)	172 (53.8)		0.82 (0.48 to 1.40)	0.84 (0.47 to 1.50)
No training	27 (19.9)	73 (22.8)		1.00	1.00
Decision making role
PPE/service plans	69 (51.9)	113 (35.9)		2.19 (1.42 to 3.37)**	2.30 (1.42 to 3.71)**
Staffing/roles	11 (8.3)	15 (4.8)		2.63 (1.13 to 6.07)*	2.63 (1.04 to 6.63)*
Case management	3 (2.2)	8 (2.5)		1.34 (0.34 to 5.25)	2.17 (0.52 to 9.09)
None	50 (37.6)	179 (56.8)		1.00	1.00

^aRisk estimates: Odds ratios are shown for binary workplace risk variables, and relative risks are shown for multicategory workplace risk variables.

^bAdjusted by nursing role (yes/no), care sector, deprivation, age (≤20, ≤30 and 30>) and gender.

CI: Confidence interval.

*P < 0.05.

**P < 0.01.

Figure 1. Direct effects of ethnicity on workplace disparities and indirect mediatory effects of job seniority, being in a nursing role, deprivation, and working in secondary care.