A study by an international COVID-19 research group, led by international researchers in ISARIC, is one of the largest international studies to provide evidence for the longer-term impact of COVID-19 illness in populations worldwide.
This observational study, published in BMJ Global Health, uses data collected from sites in High-, Middle- and Low-Income Countries, whereas most previous studies on Long COVID have focused on patients in high-income countries and have thus provided a limited understanding of the wider individual and socioeconomic impact of Long COVID.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined Long COVID as the continuation or development of new symptoms three months after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, with these symptoms lasting for two months or longer with no other explanation.
The study aimed to characterise Long COVID, explore risk factors for developing the condition, and better understand the impact on daily activities and quality of life in different regions.
The results highlight the potential long-term impact of Long COVID on population health globally, which may disproportionately impact economically disadvantaged populations.
Researchers discovered that 6-12 months after discharge from hospital, 70% of participants from high-income countries and 45% in lower- and middle-income countries were affected by Long COVID, with fatigue, breathlessness and “brain fog” the most common symptoms.
The study enrolled 11,860 people from 25 research sites across four continents, specifically adults admitted to hospital due to COVID-19 or diagnosed with COVID-19 during their hospital stay.
Dr Louise Sigfrid, Senior Clinical Research Fellow at NDM’s Pandemic Sciences Institute, said: ‘Our findings show the strength of working together with specialist, patients and community groups co-developing and harmonising our methods when studying Long COVID.
‘Long COVID presents problems not just for individuals, but also for health systems and the wider economy. As we prepare for future epidemics and pandemics, it's crucial we plan how to understand, prevent and manage long-term health problems to improve outcomes for everyone.’
These findings highlight the burden of Long COVID on the population, and although the proportion was found to be lower in LMICs, the burden on individuals and health systems may be larger in lower resourced settings.
Read the full paper on the BMJ Global Health website: https://gh.bmj.com/content/9/10/e015245