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Post-COVID Conditions in Health Care Workers: Rates and Risk Factors

Among healthcare workers (HCWs) diagnosed with COVID once during  the pandemic, 27% went on to develop one or more post-COVID conditions (PCCs), reports a prospective study in the January 2025 Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 

Nicola Cherry, MD, PhD, of University of Alberta, Edmonton, and colleagues analyzed baseline and follow-up data on PCCs—sometimes called "long COVID"—reported by 4,964 HCWs in four Canadian provinces. Participants completed four waves of questionnaires between spring 2020 and spring 2022. In addition to specific types of conditions or symptoms, the researchers analyzed potential risk and protective factors for PCCs.

Of 995 HCWs who had a positive COVID test more than 90 days before the last questionnaire, 26.7% reported one or more PCCs—defined as "a condition they believed to be a result of, or made worse by [COVID] infection." Most affected HCWs reported only one post-COVID symptom or condition.

Fatigue and shortness of breath were the most common "classic" PCCs, followed by cognitive dysfunction, pain, and mental health symptoms. Participants also reported a range of "non-classic" symptoms, such as cough, headache, or altered taste or smell. 

In adjusted analyses, several pre-COVID factors were associated with higher risk of PCC, including depression, increased alcohol consumption, and chronic ill health. Post-COVID conditions were also more likely to develop in HCWs who believed their COVID was work-related, but less likely in those who received COVID vaccines. 
Nurses had higher rates of PCCs than physicians. Only eight percent of HCWs had severe PCCs; 98% returned to work within 30 days.

The study adds to previous research on the risks and types of post-COVID symptoms and conditions developing in HCWs, along with predisposing and protective factors. Dr. Cherry and coauthors conclude: "Our study provides insight into the importance of targeted interventions to mitigate workplace risk factors and of health promotion for factors such as obesity, vaccination, and anxiety and depression."
 
About the Author 
Dr. Cherry may be contacted for interviews at ncherry(at)ualberta.ca.