Abstract
Background Since March 2020, Chile has been affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has caused disruptions throughout the world, greatly impacting health services and healthcare workers.
Objective To describe the demographic characteristics related to the COVID-19 pandemic in orthopedic surgeons and orthopedic surgery residents in Chile.
Methods We conducted an on-line survey requesting data on demographics, work, exposure to and infection by COVID-19, symptoms, and protection practices.
Results A total of 567 surgeons answered the survey; 37 (6.4%) had had COVID-19, without gender differences. There was a higher rate of infection among residents, 9 from 73 (12.3%), than among surgeons, 28 from 494 (5.7%), as well as higher rates of infection among those working more than 60 hours (p < 0.05). Among those infected, 31 (83.8%) were from the Metropolitan Region (MR), where the rate of infection was significantly higher compared with other regions (p < 0.05). Only 8 (21.6%) of those infected had medical history. Hospitalization was required by 3 (5.4%), 1 of them in the Intensive care Unit (ICU), and the remaining were handled at home. The most frequent location of infection was the workplace, with the common areas being the main suspected sites, followed by outpatient clinics and orthopedic surgery wards. In total, 40.5% (15) of the sample reported having infected other individuals. There was also an impact in the surgeon's income: 14.8% (84) reported a decrease lower than 20%, and 45% (256), a decrease higher than 50%. This decrease was higher among surgeons than among residents, and higher among those from the MR compared to other regions (p < 0.05).
Conclusion Even though orthopedic surgery practice has been reduced by the pandemic, orthopedic surgeons have been exposed to the risk of infection by COVID-19. The workplace seems to be the site that poses the greatest risk, especially the common areas.
Level of Evidence V.
Keywords
COVID-19 - orthopedics - survey - traumatology
