Risk factors associated with prolonged work incapacity in patients with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the risk factors associated with prolonged temporary work disability (TWD) in patients with COVID-19 in a rehabilitation unit.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study was carried out. Records of patients with TWD for work secondary to COVID-19 were included. Those who were above the 80th percentile (203 days) was considered prolonged TWD. Clinical and demographic variables were compared between groups of patients with prolonged and non-prolonged TWD. The significant variables were included in a binary logistic regression model; p < 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

Systemic arterial hypertension (OR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.66-4.72; p < 0.01), severity of COVID-19 (OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.06-3.14; p = 0.02), dependence on activities of daily living (OR: 3.34; 95%CI: 1.4-7.98; p < 0.01), type of occupational risk insurance (OR: 2.03; 95%CI: 1.02-4.05; p = 0.04) and the consequences of COVID-19 (OR: 1.87; 95%CI: 1.41-2.47; p < 0.01) are risk factors for prolonged ITT.

CONCLUSIONS

Monitoring the risk factors for prolonged TWD in working patients recovered from COVID-19 will be of vital importance to document its impact in the medical, legal, economic, administrative, and social field in the medium and long term.