Work performance among healthcare workers with post COVID-19 syndrome and its relation to antibody response

• DOI: 10.1007/s15010-022-01942-4
• Publication Date: 2022-10-29T10:14:41Z
• Authors: Marwa Mohammed Fouad; Nermin Hamdy Zawilla; Lobna Ahmed Maged
• Keywords: Economics; Health Personnel; Diagnosis and Management of Fibromyalgia Syndrome; Social Sciences; Social psychology; Severity of illness; 03 medical and health sciences; Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome; 0302 clinical medicine; Neurological Manifestations of COVID-19 Infection; Health Sciences; Absenteeism; Humans; Psychology; Disease; Internal medicine; Work Performance; Economic growth; Original Paper; SARS-CoV-2; Health Care Workers; Health care; COVID-19; 3. Good health; FOS: Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Psychiatry and Mental health; Neurology; Antibody Formation; Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health; Medicine

Abstract Purpose Health care workers (HCWs) are frontliners in facing Cornoravirus disease (COVID-19) and hence are amongst the high risk groups of acquiring COVID-19 infection. The impact of COVID-19 infection and post-infection sequelae on work performance has deleterious effects on HCWs and the whole community. The aim of the current study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 infection particularly those with post-COVID-19 syndrome on work performance among HCWs and to determine if a possible relationship with antibody response exists.

Methods A sample of 69 previously PCR-positive health care workers matched to another group of 69 control PCR-negative health care workers from the same clinical departments were subjected to full medical history, clinical examination, measuring serum specific immunoglobulins against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2), Health work performance questionnaire short form of absenteeism and presenteeism and Functional dysfunction grading questionnaire.

Results The most frequently encountered symptom by patients with post-acute COVID-19 was fatigue while it was dyspnea for those who were chronic COVID patients. Patients with post-acute COVID-19 had a significantly longer time for PCR negative conversion and had a more severe disease. There was no association between post-acute COVID-19 and immunoglobulin positivity. COVID-19 syndrome had a negative impact on work performance manifested by lower relative presenteeism and lower month/year performance ratio (p < 0.001, p < 0.001). However comparing patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome to patients without the syndrome revealed no significant work performance difference between both groups.

Conclusion COVID-19 syndrome negatively impacts work performance in HCWs manifested by lower relative presenteeism and lower month/year performance ratio. Although post-COVID-19 results resulted in higher levels of fatigue and functional limitation, it did not have a significant negative impact on work performance. Specific immunoglobulins against SARS CoV-2 were not associated with the post-COVID-19 syndrome.