Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Feb 21;13(5):1208.
doi: 10.3390/jcm13051208.

Long-COVID Prevalence and Its Association with Health Outcomes in the Post-Vaccine and Antiviral-Availability Era

Ramida Jangnin  1 , Worraya Ritruangroj  1 , Sirada Kittisupkajorn  1 , Pattarapa Sukeiam  1 , Juthamas Inchai  2 , Benchalak Maneeton  3 , Narong Maneetorn  3 , Jindarat Chaiard  4 , Theerakorn Theerakittikul  2   5
Affiliations

Long-COVID Prevalence and Its Association with Health Outcomes in the Post-Vaccine and Antiviral-Availability Era

Ramida Jangnin et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background and Objectives: After recovering from COVID-19, patients may experience persistent symptoms, known as post-COVID-19 syndrome or long COVID, which include a range of continuing health problems. This research explores the prevalence, associated factors, and overall health outcomes of long COVID during a period of extensive vaccination and antiviral treatment availability in Thailand. Materials and Methods: This observational study involved 390 adult patients with COVID-19 between January and March 2022. Beginning three months after their diagnosis, these patients were interviewed via telephone every three months for a period of one year. The data collection process included gathering demographic information and administering a standardized questionnaire that addressed the patients' physical condition following COVID-19, their mental health, sleep disturbances, and overall quality of life. Results: The cohort consisted of 390 participants, with an average age of 31.8 ± 13.6. Among them, 96.7% (n = 377) were vaccinated, and 98.2% (n = 383) underwent antiviral treatment. Long-COVID prevalence was observed at 77.7%, with the most frequently reported symptoms being fatigue (64.1%) and cough (43.9%). Regarding mental health, depression was reported by 8.2% of the participants, anxiety by 4.1%, and poor sleep quality by 33.3%. Advanced statistical analysis using multivariable logistic regression showed significant links between long-COVID symptoms and patients aged below 60 (p = 0.042), as well as the initial symptom of cough (p = 0.045). In the subset of long-COVID sufferers, there was a notable correlation in females with symptoms such as headaches (p = 0.001), dizziness (p = 0.007), and brain fog (p = 0.013). Conclusions: Despite the extensive distribution of vaccines and antiviral therapies, the prevalence of long COVID remains high, being associated particularly with individuals under 60 and those exhibiting a cough as an early symptom. The study further reveals that mental health issues related to long COVID are profound, going beyond the scope of physical symptomatology.

Keywords: COVID-19; health impact; long COVID; post-vaccinated; quality of life.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The prevalence of long COVID.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Long-COVID symptoms.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. World Health Organization Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) 2021. [(accessed on 25 October 2021)]. Available online: https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1.
    1. Lopes-Pacheco M., Silva P.L., Cruz F.F., Battaglini D., Robba C., Pelosi P., Morales M.M., Caruso Neves C., Rocco P.R.M. Pathogenesis of Multiple Organ Injury in COVID-19 and Potential Therapeutic Strategies. Front. Physiol. 2021;12:593223. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.593223. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Guedj E., Campion J.Y., Dudouet P., Kaphan E., Bregeon F., Tissot-Dupont H., Guis S., Barthelemy F., Habert P., Ceccaldi M., et al. 18F-FDG brain PET hypometabolism in patients with long COVID. Eur. J. Nucl. Med. Mol. Imaging. 2021;48:2823–2833. doi: 10.1007/s00259-021-05215-4. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health Situation Report in Thailand Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 2021. [(accessed on 25 October 2021)]. Available online: https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/index.php.
    1. Kamal M., Abo Omirah M., Hussein A., Saeed H. Assessment and characterisation of post-COVID-19 manifestations. Int. J. Clin. Pract. 2021;75:e13746. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.13746. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources