Long COVID-19 Symptoms among Recovered Teachers in Israel: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

This study sought to examine the impact of long-COVID symptoms on the occupational status of teachers after recovery. A mixed-methods study was conducted in Israel in June 2022 among teachers who had recovered within the past six months. The quantitative data were collected using a self-report online survey (n = 170) based on questionnaires, and the qualitative data were based on individual semi-structured in-depth online interviews (n = 26). Participants reported the following symptoms: fatigue (43.7%), weakness (32.2%), difficulty sleeping (27.3%), pain or discomfort (22.4%), and anxiety (20.7%). Sense of control, social support, and well-being exhibited negative correlations with long-term symptoms (p < 0.001). A multivariate regression analysis revealed that the model explained 25% of the variance in long-term symptoms and that a greater sense of control and well-being predicted lower levels of long-term symptoms. In the qualitative study, the teachers reported high levels of symptoms that impaired their functioning, including guilt, despair, and lack of work motivation. Some teachers reported that the school staff helped them cope, whereas others described the staff’s alienated attitude. The research found that fatigue, weakness, and difficulty sleeping were the primary long-term symptoms that exerted a significant impact on teachers’ functioning and well-being.