VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH LONG COVID AMONG UNITED STATES ADULTS: FINDINGS FROM THE NATIONAL MEDICAL EXPENDITURE PANEL SURVEY DATASET
Author(s)
David R. Axon, PhD.
Chair & Professor, James L Winkle College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Chair & Professor, James L Winkle College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
OBJECTIVES: Long Covid is a relatively new chronic condition whereby symptoms that were not present prior to contracting COVID-19 continue for 3+ months. Given the burden yet limited knowledge of Long Covid, this study aimed to explore the variables associated with having Long Covid among United States (US) adults.
METHODS: This database study used 2023 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data and included US adults aged 18+. A multivariable logistic regression model was developed to test associations between the following variables and Long Covid: age, sex, race, ethnicity, marriage, education, employment, income, insurance, comorbidities, health status, mental health status, activities of daily living (ADL) limitations, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) limitations, pain interference, exercise, smoking, COVID vaccine, and region. The clusters and strata within the data were maintained in the analysis, which was also weighted to provide nationwide estimates of the US population. The alpha value was 0.05.
RESULTS: The study included 9,748 US adults (weighted n=257,840,937). Most US adults in the study were aged 18-64 years (76.5%), female (51.4%), white race (76.6%), and not Hispanic (82.1%). Overall, 1,045 had Long Covid (weighted n=27,139,061). Conversely, 8,703 did not have Long Covid (weighted n=230,701,876). Variables associated with lower odds of having Long Covid included: age 65+ vs. 18-64 (odds ratio [OR]=0.49, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.38, 0.62), male vs. female (OR=0.79, 95% CI=0.67, 0.94), Black vs. other/multiple races (OR=0.51, 95% CI=0.29, 0.91), not married vs. married (OR=0.83, 95% CI=0.70, 0.99), 0-1 vs. 2+ comorbidities (OR=0.48, 95% CI=0.39, 0.57), and having none vs. some pain interference (OR=0.65, 95% CI=0.53, 0.79).
CONCLUSIONS: This study identified the characteristics associated with having Long Covid and may help healthcare professionals target the patients most in need of help to manage this condition. Future research into these characteristics and how they are associated with Long Covid is warranted.
METHODS: This database study used 2023 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data and included US adults aged 18+. A multivariable logistic regression model was developed to test associations between the following variables and Long Covid: age, sex, race, ethnicity, marriage, education, employment, income, insurance, comorbidities, health status, mental health status, activities of daily living (ADL) limitations, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) limitations, pain interference, exercise, smoking, COVID vaccine, and region. The clusters and strata within the data were maintained in the analysis, which was also weighted to provide nationwide estimates of the US population. The alpha value was 0.05.
RESULTS: The study included 9,748 US adults (weighted n=257,840,937). Most US adults in the study were aged 18-64 years (76.5%), female (51.4%), white race (76.6%), and not Hispanic (82.1%). Overall, 1,045 had Long Covid (weighted n=27,139,061). Conversely, 8,703 did not have Long Covid (weighted n=230,701,876). Variables associated with lower odds of having Long Covid included: age 65+ vs. 18-64 (odds ratio [OR]=0.49, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.38, 0.62), male vs. female (OR=0.79, 95% CI=0.67, 0.94), Black vs. other/multiple races (OR=0.51, 95% CI=0.29, 0.91), not married vs. married (OR=0.83, 95% CI=0.70, 0.99), 0-1 vs. 2+ comorbidities (OR=0.48, 95% CI=0.39, 0.57), and having none vs. some pain interference (OR=0.65, 95% CI=0.53, 0.79).
CONCLUSIONS: This study identified the characteristics associated with having Long Covid and may help healthcare professionals target the patients most in need of help to manage this condition. Future research into these characteristics and how they are associated with Long Covid is warranted.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
EPH170
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health
Disease
Infectious Disease (non-vaccine)