{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T14:59:53Z","timestamp":1791557993626,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,5]],"date-time":"2024-03-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1709596800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Long COVID is a devastating, long-term, debilitating illness which disproportionately affects healthcare workers, due to the nature of their work. There is currently limited evidence specific to healthcare workers about the experience of living with Long COVID, or its prevalence, pattern of recovery or impact on healthcare.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Our objective was to assess the effects of Long COVID among healthcare workers and its impact on health status, working lives, personal circumstances, and use of health service resources.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>We conducted a systematic rapid review according to current methodological standards and reported it in adherence to the PRISMA 2020 and ENTREQ statements.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>We searched relevant electronic databases and identified 3770 articles of which two studies providing qualitative evidence and 28 survey studies providing quantitative evidence were eligible. Thematic analysis of the two qualitative studies identified five themes: uncertainty about symptoms, difficulty accessing services, importance of being listened to and supported, patient versus professional identity and suggestions to improve communication and services for people with Long COVID. Common long-term symptoms in the survey studies included fatigue, headache, loss of taste and\/or smell, breathlessness, dyspnoea, difficulty concentrating, depression and anxiety.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec005\">\n<jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Healthcare workers struggled with their dual identity (patient\/doctor) and felt dismissed or not taken seriously by their doctors. Our findings are in line with those in the literature showing that there are barriers to healthcare professionals accessing healthcare and highlighting the challenges of receiving care due to their professional role. A more representative approach in Long COVID research is needed to reflect the diverse nature of healthcare staff and their occupations. This rapid review was conducted using robust methods with the codicil that the pace of research into Long COVID may mean relevant evidence was not identified.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0299743","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,5]],"date-time":"2024-03-05T18:26:34Z","timestamp":1709663194000},"page":"e0299743","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":34,"title":["What is the impact of long-term COVID-19 on workers in healthcare settings? A rapid systematic review of current evidence"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5182-884X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Moira","family":"Cruickshank","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Miriam","family":"Brazzelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paul","family":"Manson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nicola","family":"Torrance","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6146-101X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Aileen","family":"Grant","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0299743.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113426","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2020.113426","article-title":"How and why patients made Long Covid","volume":"268","author":"F Callard","year":"2021","journal-title":"Soc Sci Med"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref002","article-title":"WHO chief urges immediate action to tackle \u2018devastating\u2019 long Covid","author":"A. Gregory","year":"2022","journal-title":"The Guardian"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref003","unstructured":"Office for National Statistics. Prevalence of ongoing symptoms following coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in the UK: 4 June 2021. 2021. Available from: https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/peoplepopulationandcommunity\/healthandsocialcare\/conditionsanddiseases\/bulletins\/prevalenceofongoingsymptomsfollowingcoronaviruscovid19infectionintheuk\/4june2021 (Accessed 4 October 2022)."},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0299743.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e191","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/ciaa1487","article-title":"Assessing the burden of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among healthcare workers in Mexico City: a data-driven call to action","volume":"73","author":"NE Antonio-Villa","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clin Infect Dis"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref005","unstructured":"National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing the long-term effects of COVID-19 [NG188]. 2020. Available from: https:\/\/www.nice.org.uk\/guidance\/ng188 (Accessed 30 September 2021)."},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref006","unstructured":"NHS England. Long COVID: the NHS plan for 2021\/22. 2021. Available from: https:\/\/www.england.nhs.uk\/coronavirus\/documents\/long-covid-the-nhs-plan-for-2021-22\/#staff (Accessed 5 October 2022)."},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"n71","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.n71","article-title":"The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews","volume":"372","author":"MJ Page","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2288-12-181","article-title":"Enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research: ENTREQ","volume":"12","author":"A Tong","year":"2012","journal-title":"BMC Med Res Methodol"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2288-11-29","article-title":"A worked example of \"best fit\" framework synthesis: a systematic review of views concerning the taking of some potential chemopreventive agents","volume":"11","author":"C Carroll","year":"2011","journal-title":"BMC Med Res Methodol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0299743.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.7861\/clinmed.2020-0962","article-title":"Developing services for long COVID: lessons from a study of wounded healers","volume":"21","author":"E Ladds","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clin Med (Northfield Il)"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0299743.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"833","DOI":"10.1111\/hex.13223","article-title":"Reluctant pioneer\u2019: A qualitative study of doctors\u2019 experiences as patients with long COVID","volume":"24","author":"AK Taylor","year":"2021","journal-title":"Health Expect"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0299743.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"674","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajic.2021.02.011","article-title":"SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in medical employees in a large urologic department: spread, containment and outcome","volume":"49","author":"MP Brandt","year":"2021","journal-title":"Am J Infect Control"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0299743.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"144","DOI":"10.1093\/occmed\/kqab043","article-title":"Persistent post-covid symptoms in healthcare workers","volume":"71","author":"TAK Gaber","year":"2021","journal-title":"Occup Med (Lond)"},{"issue":"19","key":"pone.0299743.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2015","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2021.5612","article-title":"Symptoms and functional impairment assessed 8 months after mild COVID-19 among health care workers","volume":"325","author":"S Havervall","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Am Med Assoc"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"w30094","DOI":"10.4414\/SMW.2021.w30094","article-title":"Long-term outcome after SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare workers: a single centre cohort study","volume":"151","author":"AE Martinez","year":"2021","journal-title":"Swiss Med Wkly"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref016","first-page":"01","article-title":"Neurological and cognitive sequelae of Covid-19: a four month follow-up","volume":"01","author":"F Mattioli","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Neurol"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"382","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2021.05.032","article-title":"Day-by-day symptoms following positive and negative PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 in non-hospitalized healthcare workers: A 90-day follow-up study","volume":"108","author":"KJ Nielsen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Infect Dis"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0299743.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1671","DOI":"10.1093\/infdis\/jiab120","article-title":"The association between antibody response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and post-COVID-19 syndrome in healthcare workers","volume":"223","author":"C Pereira","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Infect Dis"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0299743.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"313","DOI":"10.25259\/IJPC_160_21","article-title":"Post-COVID-19 syndrome:\" The new pandemic affecting healthcare workers and how the frontline warriors are battling it","volume":"27","author":"S Rao","year":"2021","journal-title":"Indian J Palliat Care"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0299743.ref020","first-page":"e15351","article-title":"Duration and risk factors of post-COVID symptoms following recovery among the medical doctors in Bangladesh","volume":"13","author":"S Sultana","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0299743.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.29333\/ejgm\/10838","article-title":"Post-covid-19 syndrome in Egyptian healthcare staff: Highlighting the carers sufferings","volume":"18","author":"HM Tawfik","year":"2021","journal-title":"Electronic Journal of General Medicine"},{"issue":"6\u20137","key":"pone.0299743.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"284","DOI":"10.1093\/occmed\/kqab109","article-title":"The potential impact of post-COVID symptoms in the healthcare sector","volume":"71","author":"M Tempany","year":"2021","journal-title":"Occup Med (Lond)"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0299743.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.29228\/jamp.54706","article-title":"Fatigue and sleep quality levels of post-COVID-19 healthcare workers and affecting factors","volume":"4","author":"I Akova","year":"2022","journal-title":"International Journal of Academic Medicine and Pharmacy"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0299743.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1093\/ofid\/ofac386","article-title":"Physical, psychological, and cognitive profile of post-COVID conditions in healthcare workers, Quebec, Canada","volume":"9","author":"S Carazo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Open Forum Infect Dis"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref025","article-title":"Evaluation of physical and psychological status of health care workers infected with COVID-19 during a hospital outbreak in Japan","author":"K Kameyama","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Infect Chemother"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref026","article-title":"Post-coronavirus disease-2019 syndrome in healthcare workers","volume":"11","author":"M Kaplan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Mediterranean Journal of Infection, Microbes and Antimicrobials"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0299743.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5933","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19105933","article-title":"Persistent symptoms among frontline health workers post-acute COVID-19 infection","volume":"19","author":"CW Kinge","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0299743.ref028","first-page":"e2022040","article-title":"Long-term COVID symptoms, work ability and fitness to work in healthcare workers hospitalized for Sars-CoV-2 infection","volume":"113","author":"M Mendola","year":"2022","journal-title":"Med Lav"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref029","article-title":"Presence of symptoms 6 weeks after COVID-19 among vaccinated and unvaccinated U.S. healthcare personnel","author":"NM Mohr","year":"2022","journal-title":"medRxiv"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref030","article-title":"The pandemic toll and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers at a Swiss University Hospital","volume":"29","author":"M Nehme","year":"2022","journal-title":"Prev Med Rep"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0299743.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5175","DOI":"10.1007\/s10072-022-06138-0","article-title":"Prevalence, characteristics and risk factors in a Moroccan cohort of Long-Covid-19","volume":"43","author":"H El Otmani","year":"2022","journal-title":"Neurol Sci"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0299743.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1016\/j.idnow.2022.01.004","article-title":"Evolution of anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune response in a cohort of French healthcare workers followed for 7 months","volume":"52","author":"B Pilmis","year":"2022","journal-title":"Infect Dis Now"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0299743.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"517","DOI":"10.1093\/ckj\/sfab264","article-title":"Burnout and long COVID among the UK nephrology workforce: Results from a national survey investigating the impact of COVID-19 on working lives","volume":"15","author":"H Selvaskandan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clin Kidney J"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7355","DOI":"10.2147\/IJGM.S381070","article-title":"A comprehensive assessment of self-reported post COVID-19 symptoms among beneficiaries of hospital employee scheme at a tertiary healthcare institution in northern India","volume":"15","author":"SS Senjam","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Gen Med"},{"key":"pone.0299743.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100129","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lansea.2022.100129","article-title":"An observational multi-centric COVID-19 sequelae study among health care workers","volume":"10","author":"AK Shukla","year":"2023","journal-title":"The Lancet Regional Health\u2014Southeast Asia"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0299743.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"E1011","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/ciac054","article-title":"Symptoms compatible with long coronavirus disease (COVID) in healthcare workers with and without Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection-results of a prospective multicenter cohort","volume":"75","author":"C Strahm","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clin Infect Dis"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0299743.ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4088\/PCC.21m03177","article-title":"Psychological morbidity among COVID-19 survivors: a cross-sectional study among health care workers","volume":"24","author":"NA Uvais","year":"2022","journal-title":"Prim Care Companion CNS Disord"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0299743.ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1","DOI":"10.1097\/JOM.0000000000002727","article-title":"Decrease in health-related quality of life and post-COVID-19 syndrome in healthcare workers after SARS-CoV-2 infection: A cohort study","volume":"65","author":"KG D\u2019Avila","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Occup Environ Med"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0299743.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1080\/23744235.2022.2136750","article-title":"Predictors and characteristics of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome in healthcare workers","volume":"55","author":"L \u0160t\u011bp\u00e1nek","year":"2023","journal-title":"Infect Dis (Lond)"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0299743.ref040","first-page":"225","article-title":"Are doctors immune to depression?","volume":"30","author":"J. Parsons","year":"2001","journal-title":"Aust Fam Physician"},{"issue":"1496","key":"pone.0299743.ref041","first-page":"984","article-title":"Who treats the doctor?","volume":"234","author":"A. Allibone","year":"1990","journal-title":"Practitioner"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0299743.ref042","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3399\/bjgpopen20X101143","article-title":"Finding the \u2019right\u2019 GP: a qualitative study of the experiences of people with long-COVID","volume":"4","author":"T Kingstone","year":"2020","journal-title":"BJGP Open"},{"issue":"552","key":"pone.0299743.ref043","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"501","DOI":"10.3399\/bjgp08X319486","article-title":"Doctors as patients: a systematic review of doctors\u2019 health access and the barriers they experience","volume":"58","author":"M Kay","year":"2008","journal-title":"Br J Gen Pract"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0299743.ref044","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.1192\/bjp.2021.52","article-title":"Doctors\u2019 identity and barriers to seeking care when unwell","volume":"220","author":"C. Gerada","year":"2022","journal-title":"Br J Psychiatry"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0299743.ref045","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2012-001776","article-title":"Shame! Self-stigmatisation as an obstacle to sick doctors returning to work: a qualitative study","volume":"2","author":"M Henderson","year":"2012","journal-title":"BMJ Open"}],"container-title":["PLOS ONE"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0299743","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,5]],"date-time":"2024-03-05T18:27:12Z","timestamp":1709663232000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0299743"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Akaninyene Eseme Bernard","family":"Ubom","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,5]]},"references-count":45,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,5]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0299743","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,5]]}}}