Chikungunya chronic arthralgia: impact on general and mental health and absenteeism from work

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2024 Dec 16:57:e007162024. doi: 10.1590/0037-8682-0149-2024. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Background: This study investigated the self-rated general health, mental health, and work absenteeism among patients with laboratory-confirmed chikungunya.

Methods: Telephone interviews were conducted with 63 patients ≥22 months after infection.

Results: Patients who reported (N=42) or did not report (N=21) chronic arthralgia, defined by duration ≥90 days, had different frequencies for low scores for general health (68.3% vs. 30.0%, respectively; prevalence ratio, 95% confidence interval: 2.3, 1.1-4.6), symptoms of depression (31.7% vs. 15.0%; 2.1, 0.7-6.6), symptoms of anxiety (43.9% vs. 35.0%; 1.3, 0.6-2.5), and work absenteeism (76.5% and 40.0%; 1.9, 0.9-4.2).

Conclusions: Chikungunya chronic arthralgia impacts long-term health and work.

MeSH terms

  • Absenteeism*
  • Adult
  • Arthralgia*
  • Chikungunya Fever* / complications
  • Chikungunya Fever* / epidemiology
  • Chronic Disease
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Depression / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health
  • Middle Aged
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (grants 440891/2016-7, 311365/2021-3 to G.S.R.); the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, Brazilian Ministry of Education (88881.130749/2016-01 to G.S.R.); the Research Support Foundation for the State of Bahia (PET0022/2016 to G.S.R.); the Department of Science and Technology, Secretariat of Science, Technology and Strategic Inputs, Brazilian Ministry of Health; the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation; the Federal University of Bahia; and the REPLICK (Clinical and Applied Research in Chikungunya).