Frontline losses: absenteeism among firefighters during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic

Lima, Eduardo de Paula; Vasconcelos, Alina Gomide; Corrêa, Luciane Rugani Teles; Batista, Andréia Geraldo

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Revista Brasileira de Saúde Ocupacional

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Dossier COVID-19 and Worker’s Health/Article • Rev. bras. saúde ocup. 45 • 2020 • https://doi.org/10.1590/2317-6369000016420 copy

Frontline losses: absenteeism among firefighters during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Objectives:

to describe absenteeism related to suspected (acute respiratory infection cases) and confirmed cases of COVID-19 and other diagnoses among firefighters in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Methods:

we analyzed official records of sick leave due to health problems. The analysis was organized into: 1) graphs stratified by diagnostic group; 2) descriptive analyses of proportion of sick leave and percentage of working days lost due to acute respiratory infection; Chi-squared comparison of proportion of sick leave and percentage of working days lost due to acute respiratory infection, and other diagnoses, between 2019 and 2020.

Results:

the graphical analysis showed a regular sick leave pattern before the onset of the pandemic, a peak in sick leave due to acute respiratory infection after the onset of the pandemic, and a new sick leave pattern after the peak period. The proportion of sick leave and the percentage of working days lost due to acute respiratory infection increased by 312% and 580% in 2020, respectively. In contrast, the percentage of working days lost due to other diagnoses decreased by 16%.

Conclusion:

the change in the absenteeism profile among firefighters reflects formal employment contract, institutional policies and risk perception about COVID-19.

Keywords:
absenteeism; firefighters; Coronavirus infections; occupational health

Month	2019*			2020**			X²	p
	Potentially worked days	Days lost due to acute respiratory infection		Potentially worked days	Days lost due to acute respiratory infection
	Potentially worked days	n	%	Potentially worked days	n	%
January	178,684	57	0.03	174,437	74	0.04	2.63	0.104
February	161,392	36	0.02	163,183	88	0.05	21.24	< 0.001
March	178,684	75	0.04	174,437	1150	0.66	972.91	< 0.001
April	172,920	100	0.06	168,810	600	0.36	370.08	< 0.001
May	178,684	150	0.08	174,437	603	0.35	284.17	< 0.001

Month	2019*			2020**			X²	p
	Sick leave (total)	Sick leave due to acute respiratory infection (total)		Sick leave	Sick leave due to acute respiratory infection
	Sick leave (total)	n	%	Sick leave	n	%
January	386	26	6.74	363	29	7.99	0.43	0.511
February	371	20	5.39	393	39	9.92	5.50	0.019
March	421	43	10.21	546	215	39.38	103.35	< 0.001
April	580	53	9.14	316	118	37.34	105.37	< 0.001
May	640	70	10.94	329	137	41.64	121.94	< 0.001

Month	2019*			2020**			X²	p
	Potentially worked days	Days lost due to other diagnoses		Potentially worked days	Days lost due to other diagnoses
	Potentially worked days	n	%	Potentially worked days	n	%
January	178,684	2,511	1.41	174,437	2,523	1.45	1.03	0.310
February	161,392	2,040	1.26	163,183	2,767	1.70	100.58	< 0.001
March	178,684	2,536	1.42	174,437	2,743	1.57	13.65	< 0.001
April	172,920	3,188	1.84	168,810	1,953	1.16	263.81	< 0.001
May	178,684	3,569	2.00	174,437	1,472	0.84	811.29	< 0.001

Fundação Jorge Duprat Figueiredo de Segurança e Medicina do Trabalho - FUNDACENTRO Rua Capote Valente, 710 , 05409 002 São Paulo/SP Brasil, Tel: (55 11) 3066-6076 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: rbso@fundacentro.gov.br

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[1] Corresponding author: Eduardo de Paula Lima Email address: eduardo.lima@bombeiros.mg.gov.br