Post-pandemic COVID-19 effects on the health of workers at the Technical University of Manabí

Abstract

COVID-19 is identified as one of the most recently discovered viruses, showing considerable variability in various dimensions, including transmission mechanisms, clinical presentation, therapeutic measures, and evolutionary behavior, among others. Therefore, the occurrence of persistent symptoms or the found sequelae in patients after discharge is of special interest, given that most studies indicate that both physical and mental manifestations may persist over time. In this regard, a study was conducted with the general objective of analyzing the post-pandemic effects of COVID-19 on the health of workers at the Technical University of Manabí from 2020 to 2022. It was a non-experimental, descriptive, prospective, transversal research with a quantitative approach, using a survey as the technique and a data collection questionnaire as the instrument, which were processed and analyzed through statistical graphics. The results indicate that the majority of the worker population were men aged 36 to 45 with family incomes between 400 and 800, experiencing a variety of physical and psychological sequelae. The most frequent sequelae included respiratory, neurological, and psychological symptoms, as well as impacts on the quality of life. Factors such as smoking and obesity were also present in significant proportions. There was an association between arterial hypertension, overweight, and nasal congestion with asthenia and anosmia, respectively. This study emphasizes the need for comprehensive and ongoing health interventions for workers recovering from COVID-19.