Survey shows nearly 1 in 10 unsure if they have long COVID

Nearly one in 10 folks (9.1%) in England assume they may have lengthy COVID however aren’t positive, in keeping with a brand new evaluation of NHS England survey information by the College of Southampton.

Researchers additionally discovered that 4.8% of individuals reported having lengthy COVID, with increased charges amongst folks dwelling in disadvantaged areas, folks with explicit ethnic backgrounds, dad and mom or caregivers, and people with one other long-term situation.

The findings of “Exploring Lengthy COVID prevalence and affected person uncertainty by sociodemographic traits utilizing GP Affected person Survey information” are revealed within the journal Well being Expectations.

Professor Nisreen A Alwan, who has pioneered analysis into lengthy COVID since 2020 and who co-authored the examine, mentioned, “This evaluation provides additional proof of the unfairness of lengthy COVID, with people who find themselves already deprived in society extra more likely to be affected.

“It additionally reveals us that many individuals aren’t positive if they’ve it, and might have prognosis, therapy and help.

“Lengthy COVID remains to be a really vital concern impacting people, households, the economic system and wider society. We have to do extra to forestall it, diagnose it, and correctly help people who find themselves affected by it.”

Lengthy COVID is a persistent situation induced by COVID-19 an infection that may have a major affect on folks’s each day lives. Signs embody fatigue, feeling in need of breath, ‘mind fog’, and coronary heart palpitations, amongst many others.

College of Southampton researchers analyzed over 750,000 responses to the GP Affected person Survey (England) 2023 to discover the prevalence of lengthy COVID, and the elements related to each having the situation and being unsure of getting it.

They discovered that individuals aged below 25 years, males, folks from explicit ethnic minorities, and folks with out long-term situations have been extra more likely to be uncertain if they’d lengthy COVID.

Males are usually much less more likely to search medical recommendation than ladies, which might partly clarify their increased degree of uncertainty. The group additionally say stigma and self-doubt might discourage folks from searching for a prognosis.

Mirembe Woodrow, who’s finding out for a Ph.D. at Southampton and who carried out the evaluation, mentioned, “We have been actually stunned to seek out so many individuals weren’t positive whether or not they had lengthy COVID or not, and the examine reveals there may be nonetheless work to do to extend consciousness of the situation and take away obstacles to accessing prognosis, therapy and help.

“We do not need lengthy COVID to be one other issue that contributes to the widening well being hole within the UK.”

The latest information from the 2024 GP Affected person Survey signifies lengthy COVID prevalence and uncertainty usually are not declining (5.0% and 9.0%). Professor Alwan’s group intends to hold out additional work utilizing the survey to know what may very well be driving inequality in prevalence, affect and help for lengthy COVID.