Self-reported fatigue in people with post COVID-19: impact on functioning in daily life, and associated factors - a cross-sectional study.

Objective: To assess (i) the impact of self-reported fatigue on functioning in daily life, and (ii) the association with sociodemographics, physical capacity, and work ability among people with post-COVID-19.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Subjects: Adults reporting post-COVID-19 symptoms for at least 2 months.

Methods: Participants were recruited through social media and responded to an online survey between October 2021 and February 2022 regarding sociodemographics, COVID-19 symptoms, comorbidities, physical and mental fatigue, aerobic capacity, and work ability. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were used.

Results: A total of 614 participants (88% women, mean age 47 years, on average 13 months of symptoms) were included. A majority (≥ 84%) reported both physical fatigue and mental fatigue, according to the Fatigue Severity Scale and Mental Fatigue Scale. The fatigue impacted motivation, physical functioning, work, family, or social life, and increased sensitivity to stress and concentration difficulties. Among the factors, work ability had the strongest association with both physical fatigue and mental fatigue; odds ratio: 0.650 and 0.473, p < 0.001, respectively.

Conclusion: This study found that self-reported fatigue is common among people with post-COVID-19, and negatively impacts functioning in daily life. To achieve a sustainable life and work situation, support and targeted rehabilitation interventions may be important.