QUALIDADE DE VIDA DE PROFISSIONAIS DA ENFERMAGEM COM SINTOMAS DE COVID LONGA

Abstract

At the end of 2019, the world experienced the Covid-19 pandemic, which lasted for almost three years. One of the main consequences is the persistence of some symptoms after the acute phase of the disease, known as Long Covid. Although studies are still investigating whether Long Covid is associated with the severity of the acute disease, healthcare professionals who were on the front lines have experienced this new condition, which has impacted their work and daily life activities. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the quality of life of nursing professionals and Long Covid symptoms. This is a quantitative, observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study. The participants were 109 nursing professionals. Data were collected without geographical limitations through an online questionnaire, which included questions regarding the presence of Long Covid symptoms and quality of life, assessed by the Short Form Health Survey 36 scale. Data analysis was performed using Fisher's Exact Test and the Mann-Whitney U test, both with a significance level of 95%. The results showed that most participants who reported their health as worse or much worse had Long Covid symptoms. The quality of life domains indicated that the average scores in each domain were higher in individuals without Long Covid. In comparison to their general health the previous year, referring to 2022, most participants reported little or no improvement; however, the statistical analysis showed no significant association (p=0.625). Therefore, the quality of life and the impacts of long Covid on nurses, healthcare professionals who play a crucial role in facing the pandemic, are significant. It was possible to observe that the pandemic brought a series of challenges to nursing professionals, who not only faced work overload but also dealt with the prolonged effects of Covid-19, known as long Covid.