Patients seeking occupational health advice before and after COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increased prevalence of psychological disorder in population-based studies, but the effect on the ability to work has been less well studied, except in health workers.

This study aimed to assess whether there has been an increase in the number of people seeking assistance for psychological problems from the Sheffield Occupational Health Advisory service in the UK since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study used routinely collected data at Sheffield Occupational Health Advisory Service (SOHAS) to compare the proportion of all new referrals presenting with psychological problems for 3 years prior to (2017-2019) and following the pandemic (2022-2024). Statistical differences were assessed using the chi-square test.

Psychological problems were the most common health problem presenting among those seeking advice at SOHAS both before (57.9%) and after the pandemic (61.5%); this was a small, but significant, difference (P < 0.01). In the post-COVID period, phone consultations largely replaced face-to-face appointments, and the patients were slightly younger, less likely to be referred by a GP and less likely to be off work through illness. The advice given post-COVID was more likely to include employment law and disability discrimination.

The observed increase in people seeking advice with psychological problems was minor and bore no resemblance to the reported increase in mental health problems in the UK population since the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no evidence that GPs are detecting and referring more patients with psychological problems affecting work performance.