Incidence of long COVID and associated psychosocial characteristics in a large U.S. city, 2023, Tsai et al.

SNT Gatchaman

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Incidence of long COVID and associated psychosocial characteristics in a large U.S. city
Tsai, Jack; Grace, Abigail; Espinoza, Rita; Kurian, Anita

Purpose
Persistent residual effects from Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) have been observed with varying definitions of “Long COVID” and little comprehensive examination. This study examined the incidence and psychosocial correlates of Long COVID using different definitions.

Methods
Data were analyzed from a citywide sample of 3595 adults with lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 that were surveyed over 3 months. Rates of Long COVID were examined in terms of Post-Acute COVID (PAC), defined as at least one symptom lasting for 4 weeks, and three levels of Post-COVID Syndrome (PCS) that included experiencing at least one symptom for 3 months (PCS-1), experiencing three or more symptoms for 3 months (PCS-2), or experiencing at least one of the same symptoms for 3 months (PCS-3).

Results
Among the 686 participants who completed baseline, 1-month, and 3-month follow-up assessments, 75.7% had PAC, 55.0% had PSC-1, 26.5% had PSC-2, and 19.0% had PSC-3. Comparing participants with PAC and PSC-3 in the total sample with inverse probability weighting, multivariable analyses revealed being female, Asian or Native American, greater reported longlines, and less social support were predictive of PCS-3.

Conclusion
Residual effects of COVID-19 are very common and nearly one-fifth of our sample met the most restrictive definition of Long COVID warranting concern as a public health issue. Some demographic and social factors may predispose some adults to Long COVID, which should be considered for prevention and population health.

Link | PDF (Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology)
 
(Arguably this should be in the psychosomatic forum.)

Our findings suggest that there are sociodemographic and psychiatric characteristics that predispose some adults to develop Long COVID. We found that being female, Asian or Native American, and reporting greater loneliness and less social support increased risk for Long COVID. Prior studies have identified female gender, racial/ethnic minority status, and greater comorbidities are risk factors for Long COVID, but they have not reported the important social factors to consider as well. The pandemic may have particularly affected people’s ability to socially connect with others and these social factors may have conferred increased risk. Our sample was unique in that it was majority Hispanic because it was based in San Antonio, Texas and provides a more ethnically diverse sample than other studies. As prevention efforts develop around Long COVID, these identified risk factors should be considered.
 
Yes, I think so. The body of the paper says —

In addition, participants with PCS-3 reported greater symptoms of mental illness, less social support, greater feelings of loneliness, higher frequency of depression, and more impaired psychosocial functioning at baseline.
 
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