Long COVID and Significant Activity Limitation Among Adults, by Age - United States, June 1-13, 2022, to June 7-19, 2023

Abstract

Long COVID is a condition encompassing a wide range of health problems that emerge, persist, or return following COVID-19. CDC analyzed national repeat cross-sectional Household Pulse Survey data to estimate the prevalence of long COVID and significant related activity limitation among U.S. adults aged ≥18 years by age group. Data from surveys completed between June 1-13, 2022, and June 7-19, 2023, indicated that long COVID prevalence decreased from 7.5% (95% CI = 7.1-7.9) to 6.0% (95% CI = 5.7-6.3) among the overall U.S. adult population, irrespective of history of previous COVID-19, and from 18.9% (95% CI = 17.9-19.8) to 11.0% (95% CI = 10.4-11.6) among U.S. adults reporting previous COVID-19. Among both groups, prevalence decreased from June 1-13, 2022, through January 4-16, 2023, before stabilizing. When stratified by age, only adults aged <60 years experienced significant rates of decline (p<0.01). Among adults reporting previous COVID-19, prevalence decreased among those aged 30-79 years through fall or winter and then stabilized. During June 7-19, 2023, 26.4% (95% CI = 24.0-28.9) of adults with long COVID reported significant activity limitation, the prevalence of which did not change over time. These findings help guide the ongoing COVID-19 prevention efforts and planning for long COVID symptom management and future health care service needs.

FIGURE 1

Trend lines for the prevalence of self-reported long COVID among all adults, by age group — Household Pulse Survey, United States, June 1–June 13, 2022 to June 7–June 19, 2023† Abbreviation: HPS = Household Pulse Survey. * Estimate for all adults (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to January 4–16, 2023 = –0.28, p = 0.001; slope for January 4–16, 2023 to June 7–19, 2023 = 0.006, p = 0.95). Estimates of rate of change by age group: 18–29 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to June 7–19, 2023 = –0.24, p<0.001); 30–39 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to June 7–19, 2023 = –0.27, p<0.001); 40–49 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to June 7–19, 2023 = –0.16, p = 0.003); 50–59 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to February 1–13, 2023 = –0.32, p = 0.001; slope for February 1–13, 2023 to June 7–19, 2023 = 0.21, p = 0.22); 60–69 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to June 7–19, 2023 = –0.06, p = 0.18); 70–79 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to June 7–19, 2023 = –0.04, p = 0.40); and ≥80 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to June 7–19, 2023 = 0.13, p = 0.13). ^† No HPS data were collected during the 2-week period August 24–September 13, 2022, or during November 30–December 8, 2022.

FIGURE 2

Trend lines for the prevalence of self-reported long COVID among adults with reported previous COVID-19, by age group — Household Pulse Survey, United States, June 1–June 13, 2022, to June 7–June 19, 2023^† Abbreviation: HPS = Household Pulse Survey. * Estimate for all adults (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to January 4–16, 2023 = –1.16, p<0.001; slope for January 4–16, 2023 to June 7–19, 2023 = –0.01, p = 0.91). Estimates of rate of change by age group: 18–29 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to September 14–26, 2022= –2.07, p = 0.07; slope for September 14–26, 2022 to June 7–19, 2023 = –0.36, p = 0.04); 30–39 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to February 1–13, 2023 = –1.05, p<0.001; slope for February 1–13, 2023 to June 7–19, 2023 = –0.12, p = 0.76); 40–49 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to January 4–16, 2023 = –0.98, p<0.001; slope for January 4–16, 2023 to June 7–19, 2023 = –0.005, p = 0.98); 50–59 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to February 1–13, 2023 = –1.19, p<0.001; slope for February 1–13, 2023 to June 7–19, 2023 = 0.34, p = 0.15); 60–69 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to December 9–19, 2022 = –1.50, p<0.001; slope for December 9–19, 2022 to June 7–19, 2023 = 0.05, p = 0.8); 70–79 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to November 2–14, 2022 = –2.03, p = 0.04; slope for November 2–14, 2022 to June 7–19, 2023 = –0.09, p = 0.75); and ≥80 years (slope for June 1–13, 2022 to June 7–19, 2023 = –0.11, p = 0.73). ^† No HPS data were collected during the 2-week period August 24–September 13, 2022, or during November 30–December 8, 2022.

FIGURE 3

Prevalence of significant activity limitation among adults reporting long COVID — Household Pulse Survey, United States, June 7–19, 2023 Abbreviation: NCHS = National Center for Health Statistics. * With 95% CIs represented by error bars. Estimates for the adults aged ≥80 years do not meet NCHS Data Presentation Standards and are not included in the figure as a separate group; however, they are included in the estimate for all adults.