New research has highlighted the long-term impact of COVID-19, with patients who have contracted the virus being at an increased risk of health issues such as heart and lung problems, as well as double the risk of death. Over a 12-month follow-up period, a study analyzed insurance claim data from 13,435 adults who had had COVID and 26,870 people who did not have the virus, taking into account any pre-existing conditions before the infection occurred. The study revealed that the persistent COVID group had a higher mortality rate compared to the non-COVID group. Additionally, fatigue, headache, and attention disturbance were found to be the most common symptoms experienced by people with long-term COVID.
Another new research paper suggests that contracting the virus also increases the susceptibility to intestinal problems. The study was based on the comparison of the medical histories of more than 11.6 million people who had COVID-19 in the last three years and 5.6 million people who did not contract the disease in the same period. The study found that contracting COVID-19 can cause long-term gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation and diarrhea.
According to Dr. Andrea DeVries, Elevance Health’s Vice President of Health Services Research and lead author of the study, prolonged COVID is a health problem that must be studied and taken seriously. Research results highlight the need to continue preventing COVID-19 infections and to improve the health monitoring of people after an infection.