gms | German Medical Science

Introduction: The health-related consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its consequences on work ability many months after the acute infection are still poorly understood [1]. The aim of this study was to characterize the working capacity and the work ability of employees six to 12 months after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection investigating also associated risk factors.

Methods: We report data of a multicentre, population-based, cross-sectional study with participants who were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (PCR tests between October 2020 and April 2021) in defined geographic regions. Sociodemographic and occupational factors, comorbidities, disease-related symptoms, and symptom clusters (six to 12 months after infection) as well as a modified version of the Work Ability Index [2], [3] (mWAI) were assessed. Adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed with mWAI<15^th percentile (P15) as dependent variable.

Results: In 9752 participants aged 18 to 65 with a mean age of 45.6 years, about 27.2% reported a regained working capacity of 80% or less compared to before COVID-19 six to 12 months after infection (median 8.6 months). Taking into account the response rate of 24% and the assumption that all non-participants had recovered completely, the minimum possible value of the recovered working capacity of 80% or less was 5.2%. Adjusted models showed that outpatient medical treatment (odds ratio (OR) 3.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) (3.1; 4.1)), inpatient treatment (OR 3.7 (95%-CI 2.8; 4.9)) and admission to an intensive care unit during acute infection (OR 6.7 (95%-CI 4.0; 11.2)) were significantly associated with a higher odds of mWAI<P15 compared to no treatment during infection. Also, age 60 years versus <30 years (OR 2.6 (95% CI 1.9; 3.4)) was associated with higher odds of mWAI<P15. Post-COVID symptom clusters most strongly associated with mWAI<P15 were neurocognitive impairment and fatigue. There was also a strong association between mental illnesses before infection (OR 3.6 (95% CI 3.0; 4.3)) and during/after infection (OR 8.0 (95% CI 6.1; 10.4)) and mWAI<P15. The results differed slightly depending on the working tasks of the study participants.

Discussion: A high individual and societal burden of post-COVID syndrome and a severe impairment of work ability became apparent in the working population analyzed. Furthermore, strong correlations between post-COVID sequelae of neurocognitive impairment, fatigue, and mental illness and post-COVID with low working ability were shown.

Conclusion: Based on our data a strong societal impact of post-COVID on work ability is to be expected, especially among the elderly, hospitalized, and infected with long-lasting neurocognitive symptoms or fatigue.

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

The authors declare that a positive ethics committee vote has been obtained.

This contribution has already been published: [4]