An official website of the United States government
Women accounted for 70.8 percent of the 390,020 reported workplace illness cases caused by “other diseases due to viruses, not elsewhere classified” in private establishments in 2020. We will call these cases viruses for short. This category includes COVID-19 cases. Nursing assistants had the highest number of virus cases (65,480) in 2020. Of these cases, 87.2 percent were women. Among medical assistants, women accounted for 90.7 percent of these virus cases.
Occupation | Women | Men | Gender not reported |
---|---|---|---|
Nursing assistants |
57,120 | 7,830 | 530 |
Registered nurses |
46,560 | 6,660 | 670 |
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
20,140 | 2,590 | 190 |
Personal care aides |
11,770 | 2,360 | 80 |
Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
7,480 | 2,130 | 80 |
Medical and health services managers |
7,180 | 2,040 | 60 |
Healthcare support workers, all other |
5,970 | 1,000 | 70 |
Medical assistants |
5,060 | 430 | 100 |
Production workers, all other |
2,060 | 3,230 | 120 |
Retail salespersons |
2,720 | 2,520 | 20 |
The age groups with the highest percentage of virus cases varied among occupations. Among registered nurses, workers ages 25 to 34 accounted for 27.7 percent of the 53,890 reported virus cases.
Occupation | 16 to 19 | 20 to 24 | 25 to 34 | 35 to 44 | 45 to 54 | 55 to 64 | 65 and older | Age not reported |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
0.0% | 4.3% | 20.8% | 21.4% | 27.5% | 18.1% | 3.4% | 4.4% |
Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1.9 | 8.3 | 15.6 | 17.3 | 20.4 | 27.2 | 5.1 | 4.1 |
Nursing assistants |
4.4 | 13.4 | 21.2 | 19.0 | 15.9 | 16.5 | 3.8 | 5.9 |
Personal care aides |
5.0 | 14.1 | 22.1 | 21.3 | 15.7 | 15.3 | 2.7 | 3.9 |
Registered nurses |
0.0 | 6.9 | 27.7 | 21.9 | 22.7 | 15.2 | 3.5 | 2.2 |
Among licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, workers ages 45 to 54 accounted for 27.5 percent of the 22,910 virus cases. Among maids and housekeeping cleaners, workers ages 55 to 64 accounted for 27.2 percent of the 9,690 virus cases.
These data are from the Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program. Explanation of events or exposure is in the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Manual. Information on how COVID-19 is reflected in the nonfatal injury and illness data is in our COVID-19 Fact Sheet. We have more tables, including those reflecting COVID-19 in the workplace. We also have more charts on nonfatal work injuries and illnesses.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Women accounted for 70.8 percent of workplace illnesses caused by viruses in 2020 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2023/women-accounted-for-70-8-percent-of-workplace-illnesses-caused-by-viruses-in-2020.htm (visited December 09, 2024).