Impact of Rehabilitation on Physical and Neuropsychological Health of Patients Who Acquired COVID-19 in the Workplace

Katrin Müller (), Iris Poppele, Marcel Ottiger, Katharina Zwingmann, Ivo Berger, Andreas Thomas, Alois Wastlhuber, Franziska Ortwein, Anna-Lena Schultz, Anna Weghofer, Eva Wilhelm, Rainer-Christian Weber, Sylvia Meder, Michael Stegbauer and Torsten Schlesinger
Additional contact information
Katrin Müller: Institute of Human Movement Science and Health, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
Iris Poppele: Institute of Human Movement Science and Health, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
Marcel Ottiger: Institute of Human Movement Science and Health, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
Katharina Zwingmann: Institute of Human Movement Science and Health, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
Ivo Berger: BG Hospital for Occupational Disease Bad Reichenhall, 83435 Bad Reichenhall, Germany
Andreas Thomas: BG Hospital for Occupational Disease Bad Reichenhall, 83435 Bad Reichenhall, Germany
Alois Wastlhuber: BG Hospital for Occupational Disease Bad Reichenhall, 83435 Bad Reichenhall, Germany
Franziska Ortwein: BG Hospital for Occupational Disease Bad Reichenhall, 83435 Bad Reichenhall, Germany
Anna-Lena Schultz: BG Hospital for Occupational Disease Bad Reichenhall, 83435 Bad Reichenhall, Germany
Anna Weghofer: BG Hospital for Occupational Disease Bad Reichenhall, 83435 Bad Reichenhall, Germany
Eva Wilhelm: BG Hospital for Occupational Disease Bad Reichenhall, 83435 Bad Reichenhall, Germany
Rainer-Christian Weber: BG Hospital for Occupational Disease Bad Reichenhall, 83435 Bad Reichenhall, Germany
Sylvia Meder: BG Hospital for Occupational Disease Bad Reichenhall, 83435 Bad Reichenhall, Germany
Michael Stegbauer: BG Hospital for Occupational Disease Bad Reichenhall, 83435 Bad Reichenhall, Germany
Torsten Schlesinger: Institute of Human Movement Science and Health, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 2, 1-21

Abstract: Workers, especially healthcare workers, are exposed to an increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, less is known about the impact of rehabilitation on health outcomes associated with post-COVID. This longitudinal observational study examined the changes in physical and neuropsychological health and work ability after inpatient rehabilitation of 127 patients (97 females/30 males; age 21–69 years; Mean = 50.62) who acquired COVID-19 in the workplace. Post-COVID symptoms, functional status, physical performance, neuropsychological health, employment, and work ability were assessed before and after rehabilitation. Group differences relating to sex, professions, and acute COVID status were also analyzed. Except for fatigue, the prevalence of all post-COVID symptoms decreased after rehabilitation. Significant improvements in physical performance and neuropsychological health outcomes were determined. Moreover, healthcare workers showed a significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms compared to non-healthcare workers. Nevertheless, participants reported poor work ability, and 72.5% of them were still unable to work after discharge from rehabilitation. As most participants were still suffering from the impact of COVID-19 at rehabilitation discharge, ongoing strategies in aftercare are necessary to improve their work ability. Further investigations of this study population at 6 and 12 months after rehabilitation should examine the further course of post-COVID regarding health and work ability status.

Keywords: work-related COVID-19; physical capacity; neuropsychological health; work ability; rehabilitation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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