Associations between different measures of SARS-CoV-2 infection status and subsequent economic inactivity: A pooled analysis of five longitudinal surveys linked to healthcare records

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Following the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, a record number of people became economically inactive in the UK. We investigated the association between coronavirus infection and subsequent economic inactivity among people employed pre-pandemic, and whether this association varied between self-report versus healthcare recorded infection status. METHODS: We pooled data from five longitudinal studies (1970 British Cohort Study, English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, 1958 National Child Development Study, Next Steps, and Understanding Society), in two databases: the UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UKLLC), which links study data to NHS England records, and the UK Data Service (UKDS), which does not. The study population were aged 25-65 years between April 2020 to March 2021. The outcome was economic inactivity measured at the time of the last survey (November 2020 to March 2021). The exposures were COVID-19 status, indicated by a positive SARS-CoV-2 test in NHS records (UKLLC sample only), or by self-reported measures of coronavirus infection (both samples). Logistic regression models estimated odds ratios (ORs) adjusting for potential confounders including sociodemographic variables and pre-pandemic health. RESULTS: Within the UKLLC sample (N = 8,174), both a positive SARS-CoV-2 test in NHS records (5.9% of the sample; OR 1.08, 95%CI 0.68-1.73) and self-reported positive tests (6.5% of the sample; OR 1.07, 95%CI 0.68-1.69), were marginally and non-significantly associated with economic inactivity (5.3% of the sample) in adjusted analyses. Within the larger UKDS sample (n = 13,881) reliant on self-reported ascertainment of infection (6.4% of the sample), the coefficient indicated a null relationship (OR 0.98, 95%CI 0.68-1.40) with economic inactivity (5.0% of sample). CONCLUSIONS: Among people employed pre-pandemic, testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 was not associated with increased economic inactivity, although we could not exclude small effects. Ascertaining infection through healthcare records or self-report made little difference to results. However, processes related to record linkage may introduce small biases.

Source: PLoS ONE

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0321201

Authors: Richard J. Shaw, Olivia K. L. Hamilton, Rebecca Rhead, Richard J. Silverwood, Jacques Wels, Jingmin Zhu, Giorgio Di Gessa, Ruth C. E. Bowyer, Bettina Moltrecht, Michael J. Green, Evangelia Demou, Serena Pattaro, Paola Zaninotto, Andy Boyd, Felix Greaves, Nishi Chaturvedi, George B. Ploubidis, Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi

Institutions: MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, King's College London, University College London, Université Libre de Bruxelles, MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing, The Alan Turing Institute, Duke University, Duke Medical Center, University of Bristol, Imperial College London

Language: English

Topic: Employment and Welfare Studies

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,382

Funders: University of Essex, Government of the United Kingdom, UK Research and Innovation, Chief Scientist Office, University College London, Swansea University, Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS, National Lottery Community Fund, Medical Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, National Institute on Aging, H2020 European Research Council, Health Data Research UK

OpenAlex ID: W4409311932