ABSTRACT
COVID-19 is mostly considered to have ravaged places with high levels of inequality and poverty. Yet, in the case of Europe, the evidence for this is limited. In this paper we address this gap in our knowledge by exploring how regional variations in poverty, wealth and interpersonal inequality have shaped COVID-19-related excess mortality. The results show that during the first 18 months of the pandemic there is no link between inequality and poverty, on the one hand, and the lethality of the disease, on the other. The geographical concentration of wealthy people is related to more, not less, excess mortality. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
ABSTRACT
Background Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are prone to develop persistent symptoms and to show reduced quality of life following hospital admission. Methods Prospective cohort study of COVID-19 patients admitted to a hospital from March 1 to April 30, 2020. The primary outcome was to compare health related quality of life and persistent symptoms six months after hospital admission, of COVID-19 patients who required ICU admission with those who did not. Results Among the 242 patients hospitalized during the defined period of time, 44 (18.2%) needed ICU admission. Forty (16.5%) patients died during hospital admission. Two hundred and two (83.5%) patients were discharged alive from the hospital. At six months, 183 (75.6%) patients completed the questionnaires (32 ICU patients and 151 non ICU patients). Ninety-six (52.4%) reported decreased quality of life and 143 (78.1%) described persistent symptoms. More ICU patients showed worsening of their quality of life (71.9% vs 43.7%, P = 0.004). There were no differences in the proportion of patients with persistent symptoms between ICU and non ICU patients (87.5% vs 76.2%, P = 0.159). ICU patients showed more frequently dyspnea on exertion (78.1% vs 47.7%, P = 0.02), dyspnea on light exertion (37.5% vs 4.6%, P < 0.001), and asthenia (56.3 vs 29.1, P = 0.003). Conclusions Survivors of COVID-19 needing hospitalization had persistent symptoms and a decline in the quality of life. ICU patients referred a large decrease of their quality of life compared with non ICU patients.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are prone to develop persistent symptoms and to show reduced quality of life following hospital admission. METHODS: Prospective cohort study of COVID-19 patients admitted to a hospital from March 1 to April 30, 2020. The primary outcome was to compare health related quality of life and persistent symptoms six months after hospital admission, of COVID-19 patients who required ICU admission with those who did not. RESULTS: Among the 242 patients hospitalized during the defined period of time, 44 (18.2%) needed ICU admission. Forty (16.5%) patients died during hospital admission. Two hundred and two (83.5%) patients were discharged alive from the hospital. At six months, 183 (75.6%) patients completed the questionnaires (32 ICU patients and 151 non ICU patients). Ninety-six (52.4%) reported decreased quality of life and 143 (78.1%) described persistent symptoms. More ICU patients showed worsening of their quality of life (71.9% vs 43.7%, P=0.004). There were no differences in the proportion of patients with persistent symptoms between ICU and non ICU patients (87.5% vs 76.2%, P=0.159). ICU patients showed more frequently dyspnea on exertion (78.1% vs 47.7%, P=0.02), dyspnea on light exertion (37.5% vs 4.6%, P<0.001), and asthenia (56.3 vs 29.1, P=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Survivors of COVID-19 needing hospitalization had persistent symptoms and a decline in the quality of life. ICU patients referred a large decrease of their quality of life compared with non ICU patients.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , COVID-19/complications , Dyspnea , Hospitalization , Humans , Intensive Care Units , Prospective Studies , Quality of Life , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
Background: Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are prone to develop persistent symptoms and to show reduced quality of life following hospital admission. Methods: Prospective cohort study of COVID-19 patients admitted to a hospital from March 1 to April 30, 2020. The primary outcome was to compare health related quality of life and persistent symptoms six months after hospital admission, of COVID-19 patients who required ICU admission with those who did not. Results: Among the 242 patients hospitalized during the defined period of time, 44 (18.2%) needed ICU admission. Forty (16.5%) patients died during hospital admission. Two hundred and two (83.5%) patients were discharged alive from the hospital. At six months, 183 (75.6%) patients completed the questionnaires (32 ICU patients and 151 non ICU patients). Ninety-six (52.4%) reported decreased quality of life and 143 (78.1%) described persistent symptoms. More ICU patients showed worsening of their quality of life (71.9 vs. 43.7%, P = 0.004). There were no differences in the proportion of patients with persistent symptoms between ICU and non ICU patients (87.5 vs. 76.2%, P = 0.159). ICU patients showed more frequently dyspnea on exertion (78.1 vs. 47.7%, P = 0.02), dyspnea on light exertion (37.5 vs. 4.6%, P < 0.001), and asthenia (56.3 vs. 29.1, P = 0.003). Conclusions: Survivors of COVID-19 needing hospitalization had persistent symptoms and a decline in the quality of life. ICU patients referred a large decrease of their quality of life compared with non ICU patients.