ABSTRACT
Introduction: Preliminary data suggest that about 10% of patients who have been tested positive for SARS-CoV2, remain unwell beyond three weeks. Little is known about work ability of COVID-19 survivors (C19W) after their discharge from the hospital. Material and Methods: Sixty C19W (41M;age 53±9 yrs) admitted to Humanitas Research Hospital during the 2nd and 3rd outbreaks in Italy were consecutively enrolled at the time of hospital discharge (T0). Work Ability (WA) was assessed by the Work Ability Index (WAI) questionnaire after one month (T1) from hospital discharge. At T0, C19W were asked to retrospectively complete an additional questionnaire to assess their WA before COVID19 (PRE). The WAI score accounting for seven domains, ranges from 0 to 49 and provides a stratification in four WA categories. In the present study, we assessed the total WAI score at PRE and T1, in 33 C19W. Data are expressed as mean±DS. The present study was approved by the Internal Review Board (#2742/2020). Results and conclusion: At PRE the WAI total score was 41.9±5.7 corresponding to “good category work ability” while at T1 was significantly lower (35.6±5.6;p<0.0001) corresponding to “medium category work ability”. Similar changes were observed in the WA domains except in the one exploring the “Prognosis of WA 2 years from now”. These results indicated that after one month from hospital discharge, the WAI of C19Ws survivors was still significantly reduced, thus suggesting the need for a whole-patient perspective clinical management including interventions to promote an appropriate return to work.