The cognitive abilities of individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 during the initial wave of the pandemic have demonstrated persistent deficits, even years later. This decline may be influencing changes in their employment status.
Research revealed that the average cognitive deficit among this group equates to a loss of 10 IQ points compared to expected levels for their age group. This study involved 475 UK participants who were hospitalized with COVID-19 and discharged prior to March 31, 2021, all of whom underwent psychiatric and cognitive evaluations six months post-discharge.
Upon reassessment two to three years later, results showed a deterioration in mental health. “More individuals are worsening rather than improving,” noted a researcher involved in the study.
Key findings included a rise in moderate to severe depression among study participants, increasing from 34% at the six-month mark to 47% during the follow-up. Fatigue also saw an increase, with those reporting moderate to severe fatigue rising from 26% to 40%. The levels of anxiety showed a smaller increase, from 23% to 27%. Cognitive test results, however, remained unchanged, indicating a consistent average cognitive deficit of 10 IQ points.
The reasons behind the worsening of symptoms remain unclear, but higher initial symptom severity correlated with increased ongoing difficulties. One participant expressed the toll of enduring breathlessness for years, emphasizing the psychological impact.
Furthermore, more than a quarter of those surveyed reported changing their jobs since their hospitalization, with half of those indicating that health issues were the reason for their job change. There was a notable link between job changes and cognitive decline, though this was not observed with depression, anxiety, or fatigue. This suggests that many are altering their career paths due to the cognitive demands of their previous roles becoming unmanageable.
The study acknowledges significant limitations, including a response rate of only 20% from the initial recruitment of 2,500 individuals, raising questions about representativeness. Additionally, as participants weren’t assessed prior to hospitalization, a definitive baseline comparison was unattainable. The average loss of 10 IQ points is derived from comparisons with expected cognitive levels based on demographic surveys, rather than direct measurements.
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