# Impact of COVID-19 on Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental Health Among Employees in Health and Social Services—A Longitudinal Study

## TL;DR

This study shows that healthcare workers infected with COVID-19 experienced lasting declines in physical and mental health over three years.

## Contribution

The study provides longitudinal evidence of long-term HRQoL and mental health impacts in healthcare workers post-COVID-19 infection.

## Key findings

- Participants with ongoing symptoms had significantly lower physical HRQoL (38.6 vs. 50.0) and mental HRQoL (40.4 vs. 50.1).
- Pre-existing mental health conditions predicted worse mental HRQoL and depression/anxiety symptoms.
- Gender, age, and pre-existing conditions were key factors influencing physical HRQoL.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Healthcare and social workers were at increased risk of infection during the COVID-19 pandemic, and were therefore also at increased risk of long-term physical and mental health consequences due to infection. This study aimed to investigate the course of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental health, in terms of depression and anxiety. Methods: A longitudinal study surveyed employees in health and social services diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 in 2020 over a period of three years. Results: A total of 834 individuals participated in all four surveys. The mean age was 50.2 years (SD 5.8), with 82.3% of the participants being female. Mixed-model analyses were performed to examine the development over time. The results showed significant impairments in physical and mental HRQoL, as well as in mental health. Factors influencing physical HRQoL were gender, age, and pre-existing conditions. Pre-existing mental health conditions and self-reported health prior to infection were found to be predictors of mental HRQoL and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Those with persistent symptoms reported a significantly lower quality of life than those who had recovered. The mean physical HRQoL among participants with ongoing symptoms was 38.6, compared with 50.0 for those without symptoms, and the mean mental HRQoL was 40.4 versus 50.1 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings suggest that health-related quality of life and mental health should continue to be monitored to prevent long-term psychological distress.