Sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders and health complaints among healthcare workers: a comparative study before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: Several studies have focused on investigating the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in the area of healthcare workers, there is still a gap regarding the real impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the numbers of medical records, absences and the main complaints of this population. Objectives: To compare the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and sick leave among health professionals at a university hospital in the pre an post-pandemic periods of COVID-19. Secondarily, we sought to identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the occurrence of complaints related to the health of these professionals. Methods: Longitudinal retrospective study with database analysis. Clinical and leave data that were collected from the medical records of professionals at a University Hospital. Data were analyzed by comparing means and standard deviation or with frequency of occurrence in the periods before (08/19 a 02/20) and during the pandemic (03/20 a 09/20). Results: A total of 198 medical records were included in the study, of which 75.6% were women, the average age was 40.9 years. Nursing technicians 56 (29,6%) were most absent from work due to illness. There was no significant difference in the comparison of leave days between pre 10.7 dias (DP 19.5) and post-pandemic 13.5 dias (DP 15.9) (p=0.270) periods. The same occurred with the number of medical certificates for musculoskeletal system diseases. However, we observed that the pandemic interfered with the frequency of sleep problems (x2= 26.967; p=0,01), depression (x2= 63.087; p=0,01), anxiety (x2= 67.938; p=0,01), diabetes and hypertension. During the pandemic, the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in the cervical, thoracolumbar, lower and upper limbs increased. The research also observed
a smaller occurrence of physical activities and a body weight increase. Conclusion: There was no difference in the number of medical records presented when comparing the pre an post-pandemic periods. However, there was an increase in the number of
healthcare workers related complaints.