Returning to work and the impact of post COVID-19 condition: A systematic review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, with rapidly increasing cases all over the world, and the emerging issue of post COVID-19 (or Long COVID-19) condition is impacting the occupational world. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the impact of lasting COVID-19 symptoms or disability on the working population upon their return to employment. METHODS: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statements we performed a systematic review in December 2021, screening three databases (PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus), for articles investigating return to work in patients that were previously hospitalized due to COVID-19. A hand-searched was then performed through the references of the included systematic review. A quality assessment was performed on the included studies. RESULTS: Out of the 263 articles found through the initial search, 11 studies were included in this systematic review. The selected studies were divided based on follow-up time, in two months follow-up, follow-up between two and six months, and six months follow-up. All the studies highlighted an important impact of post COVID-19 condition in returning to work after being hospitalized, with differences based on follow-up time, home Country and mean/median age of the sample considered. CONCLUSIONS: This review highlighted post COVID-19 condition as a rising problem in occupational medicine, with consequences on workers’ quality of life and productivity. The role of occupational physicians could be essential in applying limitations to work duties or hours and facilitating the return to employment in workers with a post COVID-19 condition.

Fatigue and Cognitive Dysfunction Are Associated with Occupational Status in Post-COVID Syndrome

“…Thus, the influence of PCS on occupational outcomes represents a significant economic burden and public health. However, limited literature exists about the effects of PCS on workability [ 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”

Post Covid: Ein Überblick über Symptome, Risikofaktoren, Pathophysiologie und Therapieansätze

“…Die möglichen längerfristigen Symptome nach einer Covid-19-Erkrankung sind also sehr vielfältig. Basierend auf dem Review von Alkodymi et al 2022 [4] 15% (95% KI [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] 25% (95% KI 17-34)…”

“…14% (95% 13% (95% 36% (95% KI 27-46) 19% (95% KI 10% (95% 23% (95% KI [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31] kardiovaskuläres System Risikofaktoren für Post Covid…”

“…Sechs Monate nach Entlassung konnten 11,4–43,3% der Patienten, die auf der Intensivstation behandelt werden mussten, ihre Arbeitstätigkeit noch nicht wieder aufnehmen. Die Rückkehr zur Arbeit unterscheidet sich also je nach Land (u. a. Einfluss des Gesundheitssystems), Follow-up-Zeit (je länger, desto höher die Rückkehrquote), Alter der Population (je jünger, desto höher die Rückkehrquote) und Art der Krankenhausbehandlung (Behandlung auf der Intensivstation verzögert und reduziert die Rückkehr) 17 .…”

Occupational risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a nationwide register-based study of the Danish workforce during the Covid-19 pandemic 2020-21

“…However, these approaches fail to address less severe non-hospital demanding cases and may thus underestimate risk of infection. Considering reports on delayed return to work 17 and of post Covid-19 conditions with persistent ill health following cases without acute critical disease 18 , this is of importance not the least in occupations with many young and healthy employees who are less likely to be hospitalized but at equal or higher risk of infection.…”