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. 2024 Apr;59(4):611-619.
doi: 10.1007/s00127-023-02548-3. Epub 2023 Aug 22.

Incidence of long COVID and associated psychosocial characteristics in a large U.S. city

Jack Tsai  1   2 , Abigail Grace  3 , Rita Espinoza  4 , Anita Kurian  4
Affiliations

Incidence of long COVID and associated psychosocial characteristics in a large U.S. city

Jack Tsai et al. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2024 Apr.

Erratum in

Abstract

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.

Keywords: COVID-19; Epidemiology; Mental health; Pandemic; Psychiatry.

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