Return-to-Work Following Occupational Rehabilitation for Long COVID: Descriptive Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Occupational health
• Rehabilitation medicine
• Infectious disease epidemiology

Background:

• Long COVID (LC) affects 30-50% of COVID-19 survivors, significantly impacting return-to-work (RTW) capabilities.
• Tailored rehabilitation programs are crucial for addressing LC sequelae and improving RTW outcomes.
• Further research is needed to understand the effectiveness of LC rehabilitation programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize workers participating in an occupational rehabilitation program for long COVID.
• To evaluate the outcomes of this specific LC rehabilitation intervention.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study design was employed.
• Data collected included demographic, occupational factors, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) such as FSS, PCFS, SF-36, PDI, VAS, PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PCL-5.
• Logistic regression analyzed predictors of RTW status at program discharge.

Main Results:

• The study included 81 workers, predominantly female (64%) and from health occupations (53%).
• Only 53% of participants returned to work by program discharge, with 93% on modified duties.
• Significant improvements were noted in pain VAS, PDI, FSS, SF-36 PCS, PHQ-9, and GAD-7, but not in PCFS, SF-36 MCS, or PCL-5.

Conclusions:

• Workers in LC rehabilitation experienced modest symptom improvements, yet a majority did not fully return to work.
• Increased availability of modified duties and timely rehabilitation access appear critical for better RTW outcomes.
• Further research, including larger cohorts and RCTs, is essential to validate LC rehabilitation effectiveness.