Occupations and Sickness-Related Absences during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ABSTRACT: Pandemic frontline occupations consist of disproportionately low socioeconomic status and racial minority workers. Documenting occupational health disparities is therefore crucial for understanding COVID-19-related health inequalities in the United States. This study uses Current Population Survey microdata to estimate occupational differences in sickness-related absences (SAs) from work in March through June 2020 and their contribution to educational, racial-ethnic, and nativity health disparities. We find that there has been an unprecedented rise in SAs concentrated in transportation, food-related, and personal care and service occupations. SA rates were 6 times higher in these occupations than in non-health-care professions. The greatest increases were in occupations that are unsuitable

SUBMITTER: Lyttelton T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9013443 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature