Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to explore return to work after COVID-19 and how disease severity affects this. Study design: This is a Nationwide Danish registry-based cohort study using a retrospective follow-up design. Methods: Patients with a first-time positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test between 1 January 2020 and 30 May 2020, including 18-64 years old, 30-day survivors, and available to the workforce at the time of the first positive test were included. Admission types (i.e. no admission, admission to non-intensive care unit [ICU] department and admission to ICU) and return to work was investigated using Cox regression standardised to the age, sex, comorbidity and education-level distribution of all included subjects with estimates at 3 months from positive test displayed. Results: Among the 7466 patients included in the study, 81.9% (6119/7466) and 98.4% (7344/7466) returned to work within 4 weeks and 6 months, respectively, with 1.5% (109/7466) not returning. Of the patients admitted, 72.1% (627/870) and 92.6% (805/870) returned 1 month and 6 months after admission to the hospital, with 6.6% (58/870) not returning within 6 months. Of patients admitted to the ICU, 36% (9/25) did not return within 6 months. Patients with an admission had a lower chance of return to work 3 months from positive test (relative risk [RR] 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94-0.96), with the lowest chance in patients admitted to an ICU department (RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.35-0.72). Female sex, older age, and comorbidity were associated with a lower chance of returning to work. Conclusion: Hospitalised patients with COVID-19 infection have a lower chance of returning to work with potential implications for postinfection follow-up and rehabilitation.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Public Health |
Volume | 203 |
Pages (from-to) | 116-122 |
Number of pages | 7 |
ISSN | 0033-3506 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2022 |
Keywords
- Covid-19
- Return to work
- Sick leave
- Long-term COVID
- Severity
- Workforce connection