Global prevalence of long COVID and its most common symptoms among healthcare workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract

Objectives: Long COVID, a condition where symptoms persist after the acute phase of COVID-19, is a significant concern for healthcare workers (HCWs) due to their higher risk of infection. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the prevalence, symptoms and clustering of long COVID in HCWs. We aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence and identify the most common symptoms of long COVID among HCWs who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus globally, and investigate any differences by geographical region and other factors.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO CRD42022312781).

Data sources: We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO and the grey literature from 31 December 2019 until 18 February 2022.

Eligibility criteria: We included studies reporting primary data on long COVID prevalence and symptoms in adult HCWs who had SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Data extraction and synthesis: Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Meta-analysis was performed for prevalence data of long COVID following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Results: Out of 5737 articles, 28 met the inclusion criteria, with a combined sample size of 6 481 HCWs. 15 articles scored equal to or above the median score for methodological quality. The pooled prevalence of long COVID among HCWs who had SARS-CoV-2 infection was 40% (95% CI: 29% to 51%, I²: 97.2%; 12 studies), with a mean follow-up period of 22 weeks. The most prevalent symptoms reported were fatigue (35%), neurologic symptoms (25%), loss/decrease of smell and/or taste (25%), myalgia (22%) and shortness of breath (19%).

Conclusion: This review highlights the substantial burden of long COVID among HCWs worldwide. However, limitations in data quality and inconsistent definitions of long COVID impact the generalisability of these findings. To improve future interventions, we recommend enhanced cohort study designs for better characterisation of long COVID prevalence and symptoms in HCWs.