Determinants of sickness absence duration after mild COVID-19 in a prospective cohort of Canadian health care workers
Anil Adisesh, Quentin Durand-Moreau, France Labrèche, Shannon Ruzycki, Tanis Zadunayski, Nicola Cherry- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Abstract
Objective
To identify modifiable factors associated with sickness absence duration after a COVID-19 infection.
Methods
Participants in a prospective cohort of 4964 Canadian healthcare workers were asked how many working days they had missed after a positive COVID-19 test. Only completed episodes with absence ≤31working day and no hospital admission were included. Cox regression estimated the contribution of administrative guidelines, vaccinations, work factors, personal characteristics and symptom severity.
Results
1520 episodes of COVID-19 were reported by 1454 participants. Days-off-work reduced as the pandemic progressed and were fewer with increasing numbers of vaccines received. Time-off was longer with greater symptom severity and shorter where there was a provision for call-back with clinical necessity.
Conclusions
Vaccination, an important modifiable factor, related to shorter sickness absence. Provision to recall workers at time of clinical need reduced absence duration.