Comparing surveyed adults with long COVID and those with just a positive test helps put COVID into perspective (preprint)

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Among adults who test positive for COVID-19, some develop long COVID (symptoms lasting [≥]3 months), and some do not. We compared 3 groups on selected measures to help determine strategies to reduce COVID impact. Methods: Using Stata and data for 385,617 adults from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we compared adults reporting long COVID, those with just a positive test, and those who never tested positive, on several health status and risk factor measures plus vaccination rates (data for 178,949 adults in 29 states). Results: Prevalence of just COVID was 26.5% (95% CI 26.2-26.8) and long COVID was 7.4% (7.3-7.6). Compared with adults with just COVID those with long COVID had worse rates for 13 of 17 measures of chronic disease, disability, and poor health status, while those with just COVID had the best results for 15 of the 17 measures among all 3 groups. The 5 risk factors (obesity, diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and COPD) previously associated with COVID deaths, increased long COVID but not just COVID rates, which were highest among younger and higher income adults. Adults with long COVID had the highest rate among the 3 groups for any COVID risk factors and data from 29 states showed they had the lowest rates for [≥]3 vaccine doses of 35.6%, vs. 42.7% and 50.3% for those with just a positive test, and neither, respectively. Vaccination with [≥]3 vaccines vs. <3 reduced long COVID rates by 38%, and just COVID rates by 16%. Conclusions: Results show the seriousness of long COVID vs. just a positive test and that increasing vaccine coverage by targeting adults with risk factors shows promise for reducing COVID impact.