Document Type

Capstone Experience

Graduation Date

5-2023

Degree Name

Master of Public Health

Department

Environmental, Agricultural & Occupational Health

First Committee Member

Eleanor Rogan, PhD

Second Committee Member

Cheryl Beseler, PhD

Third Committee Member

Derry Stover, MPH

Abstract

Occupational outbreaks of COVID-19 have been described during the pandemic, yet the epidemiology of COVID-19 across a larger workforce population is currently not well characterized in the United States. Describing COVID-19 incident rates by industry and occupation will elucidate how the pandemic affected the workforce in Nebraska. However, nonresponse bias occurs in the employment information when participants are unwilling or unable to respond to contract tracer questions, thus affecting the results. Nonresponse bias will be analyzed, and appropriate statistical approaches will be utilized to adjust for any bias in the data. Adjusting for bias, incidence rates by detailed industry and occupation groups will be calculated using employment data from American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample data. Comparison of occupational incidence rates to the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists SARS-CoV-2 Occupational Exposure Matrix highlights its potential use to identify occupations with high, medium, and low exposure risks. By describing how Nebraska’s workforce was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and identifying what occupations are at higher risk for COVID-19 exposures, we can better to develop improved prevention strategies.

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