Health-related adverse work outcomes associated with post COVID-19 condition: a cross-sectional study

Introduction Symptoms from post COVID-19 condition (PCC) can impair functioning in working-age adults. However, there is uncertainty about the relationship between PCC and work outcomes. This study aimed to assess health-related adverse work outcomes in individuals with a PCC history compared with o...

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Main Authors: Peter M Smith, Hind Sbihi, Wei Zhang, Adeera Levin, Naveed Z Janjua, Hiten Naik, Bingyue Zhu, Lee Er, Karen Tran
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-02-01
Series:BMJ Public Health
Online Access:https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e001801.full
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author Peter M Smith
Hind Sbihi
Wei Zhang
Adeera Levin
Naveed Z Janjua
Hiten Naik
Bingyue Zhu
Lee Er
Karen Tran
author_facet Peter M Smith
Hind Sbihi
Wei Zhang
Adeera Levin
Naveed Z Janjua
Hiten Naik
Bingyue Zhu
Lee Er
Karen Tran
author_sort Peter M Smith
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Symptoms from post COVID-19 condition (PCC) can impair functioning in working-age adults. However, there is uncertainty about the relationship between PCC and work outcomes. This study aimed to assess health-related adverse work outcomes in individuals with a PCC history compared with others who had COVID-19.Methods This was a cross-sectional study in which participants in British Columbia (BC) completed an online questionnaire. Participants comprised adults who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR at least 2 years before questionnaire completion and were working age (18–64) at the time of infection. PCC status was determined by self-report. The health-related adverse work outcomes evaluated included change in occupation or employer, reduced workload, increased sick days compared with before COVID-19, early retirement and indefinite sick leave. Analyses were weighted to reflect the characteristics of individuals who had COVID-19 in BC. Propensity score overlap weighting was used to adjust for relevant sociodemographic and clinical covariates.Results Among 1106 participants, 966 (87.3%) were employed when they contracted SARS-CoV-2 and included in analyses. Of these participants, 47.8% were female, the median age was 37 and 46.9% had a PCC history. Compared with other individuals who had COVID-19, those with a PCC history were more likely to have had a health-related adverse work outcome (46.5% vs 24.9%; adjusted OR (aOR) 2.6 (95% CI 1.7 to 4.0)) and reported a greater number of sick days in the first 2 years since contracting SARS-CoV-2 (adjusted mean difference 43 days (95% CI 20 to 65)). The risk of a health-related adverse work outcome was especially high in those with post-COVID-19 fatigue (aOR 4.6 (95% CI 2.7 to 7.9)), fever (aOR 4.0 (95% CI 1.7 to 9.6)), weakness (aOR 3.8 (95% CI 2.2 to 6.3)), palpitations (aOR 3.3 (95% CI 2.0 to 5.0)) and brain fog (aOR 3.2 (95% CI 2.0 to 5.0)).Conclusions PCC is associated with health-related adverse work outcomes. This is an important consideration for clinicians, employers and health system leaders.
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spelling doaj-art-cad511ec0ee6432ab9a84f1ad2f1aaa72025-02-06T12:20:14ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Public Health2753-42942025-02-013110.1136/bmjph-2024-001801Health-related adverse work outcomes associated with post COVID-19 condition: a cross-sectional studyPeter M Smith0Hind Sbihi1Wei Zhang2Adeera Levin3Naveed Z Janjua4Hiten Naik5Bingyue Zhu6Lee Er7Karen Tran8Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaSchool of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada16 Division of Nepohrology UBC, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaepidemiologistDepartment of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaBC Renal Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaBC Renal Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaPost-COVID-19 Interdisciplinary Clinical Care Network, Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaIntroduction Symptoms from post COVID-19 condition (PCC) can impair functioning in working-age adults. However, there is uncertainty about the relationship between PCC and work outcomes. This study aimed to assess health-related adverse work outcomes in individuals with a PCC history compared with others who had COVID-19.Methods This was a cross-sectional study in which participants in British Columbia (BC) completed an online questionnaire. Participants comprised adults who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR at least 2 years before questionnaire completion and were working age (18–64) at the time of infection. PCC status was determined by self-report. The health-related adverse work outcomes evaluated included change in occupation or employer, reduced workload, increased sick days compared with before COVID-19, early retirement and indefinite sick leave. Analyses were weighted to reflect the characteristics of individuals who had COVID-19 in BC. Propensity score overlap weighting was used to adjust for relevant sociodemographic and clinical covariates.Results Among 1106 participants, 966 (87.3%) were employed when they contracted SARS-CoV-2 and included in analyses. Of these participants, 47.8% were female, the median age was 37 and 46.9% had a PCC history. Compared with other individuals who had COVID-19, those with a PCC history were more likely to have had a health-related adverse work outcome (46.5% vs 24.9%; adjusted OR (aOR) 2.6 (95% CI 1.7 to 4.0)) and reported a greater number of sick days in the first 2 years since contracting SARS-CoV-2 (adjusted mean difference 43 days (95% CI 20 to 65)). The risk of a health-related adverse work outcome was especially high in those with post-COVID-19 fatigue (aOR 4.6 (95% CI 2.7 to 7.9)), fever (aOR 4.0 (95% CI 1.7 to 9.6)), weakness (aOR 3.8 (95% CI 2.2 to 6.3)), palpitations (aOR 3.3 (95% CI 2.0 to 5.0)) and brain fog (aOR 3.2 (95% CI 2.0 to 5.0)).Conclusions PCC is associated with health-related adverse work outcomes. This is an important consideration for clinicians, employers and health system leaders.https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e001801.full
spellingShingle Peter M Smith
Hind Sbihi
Wei Zhang
Adeera Levin
Naveed Z Janjua
Hiten Naik
Bingyue Zhu
Lee Er
Karen Tran
Health-related adverse work outcomes associated with post COVID-19 condition: a cross-sectional study
BMJ Public Health
title Health-related adverse work outcomes associated with post COVID-19 condition: a cross-sectional study
title_full Health-related adverse work outcomes associated with post COVID-19 condition: a cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Health-related adverse work outcomes associated with post COVID-19 condition: a cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Health-related adverse work outcomes associated with post COVID-19 condition: a cross-sectional study
title_short Health-related adverse work outcomes associated with post COVID-19 condition: a cross-sectional study
title_sort health related adverse work outcomes associated with post covid 19 condition a cross sectional study
url https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e001801.full
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