Geospatial analysis of COVID-19 and otolaryngologists above age 60

Abstract

The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is disproportionately impacting older individuals and healthcare workers. Otolaryngologists are especially susceptible with the elevated risk of aerosolization and corresponding high viral loads. This study utilizes a geospatial analysis to illustrate the comparative risks of older otolaryngologists across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods and materials: Demographic and state population data were extracted from the State Physician Workforce Reports published by the AAMC for the year 2018. A geospatial heat map of the United States was then constructed to illustrate the location of COVID-19 confirmed case counts and the distributions of ENTs over 60 years for each state. Results: In 2018, out of a total of 9578 practicing U.S. ENT surgeons, 3081 were older than 60 years (32.2%). The states with the highest proportion of ENTs over 60 were Maine, Delaware, Hawaii, and Louisiana. The states with the highest ratios of confirmed COVID-19 cases to the number of total ENTs over 60 were New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Michigan. Conclusions: Based on our models, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Michigan represent states where older ENTs may be the most susceptible to developing severe complications from nosocomial transmission of COVID-19 due to a combination of high COVID-19 case volumes and a high proportion of ENTs over 60 years.

COVID-19 and anosmia: A review based on up-to-date knowledge

“…Otolaryngology is a high-risk department for COVID-19, especially for the otolaryngologists over 60 [49]. In this battle, it is especially important for medical personnel to do their personal protection [50].…”

Distribution of the environmental and socioeconomic risk factors on COVID-19 death rate across continental USA: a spatial nonlinear analysis

“…Some researches about the COVID-19 have found that various factors including environment (Xu et al 2020 ; Ahmadi et al 2020 ; Bashir et al 2020 ), socioeconomic (de León-Martínez et al 2020 ; Zheng et al 2020 ), demographic (Serge et al 2020 ) and underlying disease (Marhl et al 2020 ; Ruthberg et al 2020 ; Dariya and Nagaraju 2020 ; Malik et al 2020 ) may influence the transmission of COVID-19. Bashir et al ( 2020 ) found that air pollution including PM 10 , PM 2.5 , SO 2 , NO 2 and CO is a significant risk factor to the COVID-19 epidemic.…”

SARS-CoV-2, surgeons and surgical masks

“…Age of participants ranged from 18 to 62 years, mean or median age was 36-43 years; three studies focused on surgeons aged ≥ 60 years[ 8 - 10 ]. Where data on gender distribution were available, except in one study in China involving orthopaedic surgeons where all but one were male[ 11 ], two-thirds to three fourths (66.6% to 77%) of cases were female[ 12 - 15 ].…”