PATIENT-REPORTED EXPERIENCES WITH SARS-COV-2: A SURVEY STUDY EXAMINING ACUTE- AND LONG-TERM SYMPTOMS AND HOW THEY RELATE TO AREA OF HOSPITALIZATION AND LONG-TERM DISEASE

ABSTRACT

SESSION TITLE Post-COVID-19 Outcomes SESSION TYPE Rapid Fire Original Inv PRESENTED ON 10/19/2022 1115 am - 1215 pm PURPOSE: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has caused an influx of hospitalized patients with acute disease, as well as an influx of outpatient visits for long-term symptoms. There is still much to learn about symptom patterns in different patient groups based on age, race, sex, and illness severity. Patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS), colloquially called long-haulers, are another group who may have unique symptom profiles. We conducted this study to characterize patients’ experiences with COVID-19 symptoms in both the acute and long-term phase. METHODS: Participants were recruited using existing research panel through Qualtrics, a national consumer insights platform. Eligible participants included those who reported a positive COVID-19 test sometime in 2021 and sought some type of medical care. In an online survey, participants were asked about the three most bothersome physical symptoms they experienced out of body aches or joint pain, “brain fog”, chest pain, cough, fatigue or feeling tired/weak, fever/chills/sweating, GI issues such as vomiting/diarrhea, headache, loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath, and insomnia. This list of physical symptoms was sourced by qualitative, in-depth interviews with 55 hospitalized and recovered COVID-19 patients. In addition, participants reported basic demographics, hospitalizations, and whether they considered themselves long-haulers. RESULTS: Of these patients, 29.8% considered themselves long-haulers. There were 2570 survey respondents who participated, of which 61% were female, 48% were male, and 1% were nonbinary. The patients were all age 18 years or older with 14% Hispanic/Latino/a/x/or Spanish origin, and 25% were non-white. Of those who sought medical treatment through a hospital, 59% reported that they sought treatment for COVID-19 in the emergency room, 32% were hospitalized, and 9% were hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The most bothersome symptoms reported overall were cough, fatigue/feeling weak, and body aches. We compared bothersome symptoms by hospitalization location and long-haul status descriptively. For 18% of participants hospitalized in the ICU, the most bothersome symptom was shortness of breath compared to 11% of those hospitalized on the general floor, and 11% of those seen in the emergency room. Among participants who reported that they consider themselves long-haulers, the most common symptom reported most bothersome was cough. CONCLUSIONS: Data indicate that symptom patterns may differ by illness severity, age, and race. Patients who consider themselves long-haulers also have a different symptom pattern from those who do not report long-term symptoms. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Our findings contribute to the understanding of patient experience with COVID-19 symptoms both in the acute and long-term phase. DISCLOSURES No relevant relationships by Samuel Brown No relevant relationships by Jorie Butler no disclosure on file for Hirshberg Elliotte;No relevant relationships by Danielle Groat No relevant relationships by Kathryn Hendrickson No relevant relationships by Stephanie Stokes