A new study from the University of Southern California, published in Scientific Reporters, found that 23% of people infected with the Corona virus will suffer from “long-term Covid,” and predicted who is likely to develop debilitating symptoms, which can last for months.
Qiao Wu, the study’s lead researcher, said in a report published by the official website of the University of Southern California: “Covid is a long-term, major public health concern, and 23% is a very high prevalence rate, which may translate to millions of people…More knowledge about Its prevalence, persistent symptoms and risk factors may help healthcare professionals allocate resources and services to help patients return to their normal lives.”
The study found that obesity and hair loss at the time of infection are prognostic factors for long-term COVID-19, but other underlying conditions, such as diabetes or smoking status, have no clear link to its symptoms.
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While the virus is usually an acute illness that lasts about three weeks, some people with COVID-19 have symptoms that last for months or longer.
The World Health Organization defines “prolonged Covid” as symptoms lasting 12 weeks or more, a definition on which the study also relied.
University of Southern California researchers used a nationwide online survey, a coronavirus-tracking survey conducted by the Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) at the University of Southern College of Arts, Arts and Sciences with an estimated 8,000 participants from across the United States.
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From March 2020 to March 2021, researchers invited participants to answer bi-monthly questions about COVID-19, and the final sample included 308 infected and non-hospitalized individuals who were interviewed one month before, around the time of infection and 12 weeks after.
After accounting for pre-existing symptoms, about 23% of the participants reported that they experienced the emergence of new symptoms during the infection that lasted for more than 12 weeks, in line with the study’s definition of a long-term coronavirus.
The new and persistent symptoms experienced by Covid patients for a long time are headache (22%), runny or stuffy nose (19%), abdominal pain (18%), fatigue (17%), and diarrhea (13%).
In addition, the researchers found that people with significantly higher odds of suffering from “long-term Covid” developed obesity, hair loss, and a sore throat at the time of infection with the virus.
There was a lack of evidence related to the long-term risk of developing “Covid” among those who suffered from some pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes or asthma, and there were also no clear associations between infection and demographic elements such as age, gender, race or education, as well. There was no clear link with current smoking status.
“The important association between long-term Covid disease and obesity is consistent with previous studies, and we differ from some current studies in that we did not find a link between long-term Covid and any sociodemographic factors,” says Elaine Crimmins, a demographer at the University of Southern California’s Leonard Davis School.