Müller Katrin, Poppele Iris, Ottiger Marcel, Weber Rainer-Christian, Stegbauer Michael, Schlesinger Torsten
Department of Social Science of Physical Activity and Health, Institute of Human Movement Science and Health, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany.
BG Hospital for Occupational Disease Bad Reichenhall, Bad Reichenhall, Germany.
Front Psychiatry. 2025 Apr 25;16:1460097. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1460097. eCollection 2025.
Rehabilitation is an effective and feasible approach for post-COVID patients to improve mental health and cognitive complaints. However, knowledge regarding the long-term impact of rehabilitation on neuropsychological health of these patients is lacking.
This study aims to investigate psychological health, fatigue, and cognitive function 6 and 12 months after inpatient post-COVID rehabilitation of patients, who acquired COVID-19 in the workplace. In addition, group differences in these outcome parameters according to sex, age, acute COVID status, socioeconomic status, profession, and pre-existing diseases will be detected.
This longitudinal observational study examined the changes in mental and cognitive health of 127 patients with COVID-19 as an occupational disease or work accident. Symptoms of depression and anxiety, fatigue severity, somatic symptom severity, trauma-related symptoms, and cognitive functioning were assessed at the beginning as well as six and 12 months after rehabilitation. Group differences concerning sex, age, acute COVID status, socioeconomic status, occupational status, and existing diseases prior to COVID-19 were also analyzed.
The results showed that the improvements direct after rehabilitation in mental health and fatigue severity could not be maintained six and 12 months after rehabilitation discharge. Contrary, patients' cognitive function maintained stable during follow-up. Significant group differences were observed regarding age, sex, acute COVID status, socioeconomic status, occupational status, and pre-existing diseases.
This study highlights the importance of the aftercare process and the implementation of adequate and individualized therapeutic interventions such as psychological support and strengthen self-management skills.The study is registered in the German Clinical Trials Register with the identifier DRKS00022928.
康复是新冠后患者改善心理健康和认知症状的有效且可行的方法。然而，关于康复对这些患者神经心理健康的长期影响的知识尚缺。
本研究旨在调查在工作场所感染新冠病毒的患者，在新冠住院康复后6个月和12个月时的心理健康、疲劳及认知功能。此外，还将检测根据性别、年龄、急性新冠状态、社会经济地位、职业和既往疾病划分的这些结果参数的组间差异。
这项纵向观察性研究检查了127例因职业病或工作事故感染新冠病毒患者的心理和认知健康变化。在康复开始时以及康复后6个月和12个月评估抑郁和焦虑症状、疲劳严重程度、躯体症状严重程度、创伤相关症状和认知功能。还分析了关于性别、年龄、急性新冠状态、社会经济地位、职业状态以及新冠病毒感染前存在的疾病的组间差异。
结果显示，康复后直接出现的心理健康和疲劳严重程度的改善在康复出院后6个月和12个月未能维持。相反，患者的认知功能在随访期间保持稳定。在年龄、性别、急性新冠状态、社会经济地位、职业状态和既往疾病方面观察到显著的组间差异。
本研究强调了后续护理过程以及实施充分且个性化的治疗干预措施（如心理支持和加强自我管理技能）的重要性。该研究已在德国临床试验注册中心注册，标识符为DRKS00022928。
