Fadiga física e mental e sintomas persistentes pós infecção por SARS-COV-2 em trabalhadores de uma empresa de mineração

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has been one of the biggest recent public health crises, and understanding persistent symptoms is critical to improving treatment and care for patients. Physical and mental fatigue, in particular, directly impacts quality of life and work activities. Knowing these symptoms, especially in workers in the mining industry, is important to ensure a safe work environment and promote well-being. This understanding helps to implement preventive measures and provide adequate support to workers, contributing to an effective response to the pandemic. The objective of this study was to evaluate physical and mental fatigue in workers diagnosed with Covid-19 and its relationship with other persistent symptoms and behaviors adopted during the pandemic. Conducted in the context of a broader project, called "Occupational Epidemiological Study of Covid-19 and SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Workers of a Multinational Mining Company", this study covered the period from August 2020 to August 2021. During this period, data was collected through telephone interviews using validated questionnaires, with the sample consisting of 57 volunteer workers from the aforementioned company who tested positive for covid-19. The main outcome of this study was fatigue, assessed both physically and mentally, using the Chalder Fatigue Scale, recognized for its precision and sensitivity in measuring this symptom. Persistent covid-19 symptoms were grouped and considered as the main independent variable, as their presence increases the likelihood of developing fatigue associated with long covid. In addition to persistent covid-19 symptoms, other covariates were considered, such as behaviors adopted during the pandemic, lifestyle habits, and access to health services. The study used multivariate logistic regression to analyze the relationship between the independent variable "sum of persistent symptoms" and "physical and mental fatigue". Variables with p-value ≤ 0.20 in the univariate analysis were included, and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. The model was refined using the stepwise backward method, removing non-significant variables, while maintaining sex due to its clinical relevance. In addition, the interaction between the main variable (number of persistent covid-19 symptoms) and other variables such as sleep quality, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and alcohol use was explored, allowing a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between these variables and long covid. The results revealed associations between clinical and psychosocial variables and the presence of fatigue after covid-19 infection. With regard to physical and mental fatigue, a common condition among patients recovered from Covid-19, it suggests a significant association between the presence of fatigue and the total sum of other persistent symptoms reported (Odds Ratio=1.79, p=0.003 and 95% confidence interval: 1.21 – 2.64). This indicates that fatigue is closely linked to the overall symptom burden experienced by long Covid patients. Generalized anxiety disorders and depression were identified as factors associated with fatigue, highlighting the interconnection between mental and physical health in the context of long Covid. Logistic regression analysis revealed interaction variables associated with fatigue, including sleep quality, anxiety and depression, alcohol use, smoking and chronic pain. This means that in the presence of these symptoms the chance of having fatigue was even greater compared to others. persistent symptoms. Ultimately, these findings provide a better understanding of long Covid for personalized interventions and clinical practice guidance and public health policies aimed at minimizing the impact of this complex condition on the lives of affected workers.