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. 2023 Dec 1;52(12):afad225.
doi: 10.1093/ageing/afad225.

The role of multimorbidity and socio-economic characteristics as potential risk factors for Long Covid: evidence from the multilevel analysis of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe's corona surveys (2020-2021)

Piotr Wilk  1   2   3 , Valerie Moran  3   4 , Maria N Pi Alperin  4 , Torsten Bohn  3 , Guy Fagherazzi  3 , Maurice P Zeegers  2   5 , Maria Ruiz-Castell  3   4
Affiliations

The role of multimorbidity and socio-economic characteristics as potential risk factors for Long Covid: evidence from the multilevel analysis of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe's corona surveys (2020-2021)

Piotr Wilk et al. Age Ageing. .

Abstract

Background: A substantial proportion of individuals continue experiencing persistent symptoms following the acute stage of their Covid-19 illness. However, there is a shortage of population-based studies on Long Covid risk factors.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of Long Covid in the population of middle-aged and older Europeans having contracted Covid-19 and to assess the role of multimorbidity and socio-economic characteristics as potential risk factors of Long Covid.

Methods: A population-based longitudinal prospective study involving a sample of respondents 50 years and older (n = 4,004) from 27 countries who participated in the 2020 and 2021 Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), in particular the Corona Surveys. Analyses were conducted by a multilevel (random intercept) hurdle negative binomial model.

Results: Overall, 71.6% (95% confidence interval = 70.2-73.0%) of the individuals who contracted Covid-19 had at least one symptom of Long Covid up to 12 months after the infection, with an average of 3.06 (standard deviation = 1.88) symptoms. There were significant cross-country differences in the prevalence of Long Covid and number of symptoms. Higher education and being a man were associated with a lower risk of Long Covid, whilst being employed was associated with a higher risk of having Long Covid. Multimorbidity was associated with a higher number of symptoms and older age was associated with a lower number of symptoms.

Conclusion: Our results provide evidence on the substantial burden of Long Covid in Europe. Individuals who contracted Covid-19 may require long-term support or further medical intervention, putting additional pressure on national health care systems.

Keywords: Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE); Long Covid; Survey of Health; multilevel model; multimorbidity; older people; socio-economic factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Estimated proportion of individuals with Long Covid by country of residence (with 95% confidence intervals).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Estimated average number of symptoms related of Long Covid by country of residence (with 95% confidence intervals).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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