Sex and Gender-Related Differences in COVID-19 Diagnoses and SARS-CoV-2 Testing Practices During the First Wave of the Pandemic:The Dutch Lifelines COVID-19 Cohort Study

Background: Although sex differences are described in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnoses and testing, many studies neglect possible gender-related influences. Additionally, research is often performed in clinical populations, while most COVID-19 patients are not hospitalized. Therefore, we investigated associations between sex and gender-related variables, and COVID-19 diagnoses and testing practices in a large general population cohort during the first wave of the pandemic when testing capacity was limited. Methods: We used data from the Lifelines COVID-19 Cohort (N = 74,722; 60.8%... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Ballering, Aranka Viviënne
Oertelt-Prigione, Sabine
Olde Hartman, Tim C.
Rosmalen, Judith G.M.
Boezen, Marike
Mierau, Jochen O.
Franke, Lude H.
Dekens, Jackie
Deelen, Patrick
Lanting, Pauline
Vonk, Judith M.
Nolte, Ilja
Ori, Anil P.S.
Claringbould, Annique
Boulogne, Floranne
Dijkema, Marjolein X.L.
Wiersma, Henry H.
Warmerdam, Robert
Jankipersadsing, Soesma A.
Dokumenttyp: Artikel
Erscheinungsdatum: 2021
Reihe/Periodikum: Ballering , A V , Oertelt-Prigione , S , Olde Hartman , T C , Rosmalen , J G M , Boezen , M , Mierau , J O , Franke , L H , Dekens , J , Deelen , P , Lanting , P , Vonk , J M , Nolte , I , Ori , A P S , Claringbould , A , Boulogne , F , Dijkema , M X L , Wiersma , H H , Warmerdam , R & Jankipersadsing , S A 2021 , ' Sex and Gender-Related Differences in COVID-19 Diagnoses and SARS-CoV-2 Testing Practices During the First Wave of the Pandemic : The Dutch Lifelines COVID-19 Cohort Study ' , Journal of Womens Health , vol. 30 , no. 12 , pp. 1686-1692 . https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2021.0226
Schlagwörter: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / sex differences / gender equity
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-29027476
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : https://hdl.handle.net/11370/3625c943-923d-4eed-8ea0-735b56cb355d

Background: Although sex differences are described in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnoses and testing, many studies neglect possible gender-related influences. Additionally, research is often performed in clinical populations, while most COVID-19 patients are not hospitalized. Therefore, we investigated associations between sex and gender-related variables, and COVID-19 diagnoses and testing practices in a large general population cohort during the first wave of the pandemic when testing capacity was limited. Methods: We used data from the Lifelines COVID-19 Cohort (N = 74,722; 60.8% female). We applied bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses. The outcomes were a COVID-19 diagnosis (confirmed by SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing or physician's clinical diagnosis) and PCR testing. Independent variables included among others participants' sex, age, somatic comorbidities, occupation, and smoking status. Sex-by-comorbidity and sex-by-occupation interaction terms were included to investigate sex differences in associations between the presence of comorbidities or an occupation with COVID-19 diagnoses or testing practices. Results: In bivariate analyses female sex was significantly associated with COVID-19 diagnoses and testing, but significance did not persist in multiple logistic regression analyses. However, a gender-related variable, being a health care worker, was significantly associated with COVID-19 diagnoses (OR = 1.68; 95%CI = 1.30-2.17) and testing (OR = 12.5; 95%CI = 8.55-18.3). Female health care workers were less often diagnosed and tested than male health care workers (ORinteraction = 0.54; 95%CI = 0.32-0.92, ORinteraction = 0.53; 95%CI = 0.29-0.97, respectively). Conclusions: We found no sex differences in COVID-19 diagnoses and testing in the general population. Among health care workers, a male preponderance in COVID-19 diagnoses and testing was observed. This could be explained by more pronounced COVID-19 symptoms in males or by gender inequities.