Effect of Long COVID on Work Performance and Annual Monetary Loss Among Infected Health Care Workers at a Tertiary Hospital in Malaysia

Say Hiang Lim; Yin Cheng Lim; Rafdzah Ahmad Zaki; Bushra Megat Johari; Chung Yuan Chang; Sharifah Faridah Syed Omar; Amirah Azzeri; Maznah Dahlui; Adeeba Kamarulzaman

doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000003256

Effect of Long COVID on Work Performance and Annual Monetary Loss Among Infected Health Care Workers at a Tertiary Hospital in Malaysia

J Occup Environ Med. 2025 Jan 1;67(1):44-50. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003256. Epub 2024 Oct 15.

Authors

Say Hiang Lim¹, Yin Cheng Lim, Rafdzah Ahmad Zaki, Bushra Megat Johari, Chung Yuan Chang, Sharifah Faridah Syed Omar, Amirah Azzeri, Maznah Dahlui, Adeeba Kamarulzaman

Affiliation

¹ From the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia (S.H.L., Y.C.L., R.A.Z., M.D.); Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Y.C.L., R.A.Z.); Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (B.M.J., S.F.S.O., A.K.); Centre of Excellent for Research in AIDS (CERIA), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (B.M.J., C.Y.C., S.F.S.O., A.K.); Department of Research Development and Innovation, University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (A.A., M.D.); Community Health Unit, Department of Primary Care Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Malaysia (USIM) (A.A.); Faculty of Medicine, University Taylor's Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Malaysia (M.D.); Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia (M.D.); and Monash University, Subang Jaya Malaysia (A.K.).

PMID: 39418782
DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003256

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study is to assess and compare the work performance loss (absenteeism and presenteeism) and the estimated annual monetary loss among health care workers with and without long COVID.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted between October 2022 and April 2024 using an online questionnaire. The shortened version of the Health and Work Performance Questionnaire was used to estimate the work performance effect among health care workers with a history of COVID-19 infection.

Results: Health care workers with long COVID have a significantly lower absolute presenteeism and higher annual monetary loss of presenteeism. The mean annual monetary loss of presenteeism was higher in those with long COVID (MYR 10,866.61) compared to those without (MYR 9243.85).

Conclusions: Implementing supportive work strategies in hospital settings is recommended to reduce absolute presenteeism and the annual monetary loss of presenteeism.

MeSH terms

Absenteeism*
Adult
COVID-19* / economics
COVID-19* / epidemiology
Female
Health Personnel*
Humans
Malaysia / epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Presenteeism* / economics
Presenteeism* / statistics & numerical data
Retrospective Studies
SARS-CoV-2*
Surveys and Questionnaires
Tertiary Care Centers*
Work Performance*