Long COVID in Pakistan: a cross-sectional analysis of health and psychosocial outcomes.

CROSS-sectional method; MUSCLE fatigue; SELF-evaluation; ACADEMIC medical centers; MENTAL health; HEALTH status indicators; POST-acute COVID-19 syndrome; STATISTICAL sampling; QUESTIONNAIRES; INTERVIEWING; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; CONVALESCENCE; PSYCHOLOGICAL stress; TELEPHONES; DELPHI method; ANXIETY disorders; COVID-19 pandemic; COVID-19; REGRESSION analysis; COGNITION

According to the World Health Organization-led Delphi consensus, long COVID corresponds to the occurrence of symptoms beyond twelve weeks after the onset of acute COVID-19 illness that cannot be explained by alternate diagnosis. This cross-sectional study aimed to analyse the impacts of long COVID on general health and psychosocial well-being. For this study, the participants were interviewed either face to face or via telephone, and their responses were recorded on a questionnaire capturing information on demographics, COVID-19 status, duration of symptoms and long COVID symptoms. The psychosocial impacts of the pandemic were assessed using scales like Short Mood and feeling questionnaire (sMFQ), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Regression analysis was conducted to analyse the predictors of long COVID. A total of 300 participants were interviewed, of which 155 (52%) had COVID-19 illness. Of these 54 (35%) had persistent symptoms for a period of more than 12 weeks classified as long COVID. Muscle problems and fatigue were the most frequent (14.7%) symptoms encountered, followed by breathing problems (12.6%) and cognitive issues (12.6%). The symptoms of decrease in appetite and confusion or disorientation during the initial phase of the infection were associated with long COVID. The majority of the participants (83.3%) had moderate level of perceived stress, while moderate to severe levels of stress were observed in 17.3% of the individuals. Moreover, a high level of positive mental well-being was also observed. This study highlights the need for further research into the clinical aspects and implications of long COVID in Pakistan and emphasizes the importance of ongoing support for affected individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Psychology, Health & Medicine is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)