Research Article: Understanding symptoms suggestive of long COVID syndrome and healthcare use among community-based populations in Manitoba, Canada: an observational cross-sectional survey
Abstract:
Objective This study aims to characterise respondents who have COVID-19 and long COVID syndrome (LCS), and describe their symptoms and healthcare utilisation. Design Observational cross-sectional survey. Setting The one-time online survey was available from June 2022 to November 2022 to capture the experience of residents in Manitoba, Canada. Participant Individuals shared their experience with COVID-19 including their COVID-19 symptoms, symptoms suggestive of LCS and healthcare utilisation. We used descriptive statistics to characterise patients with COVID-19, describe symptoms suggestive of LCS and explore respondent health system use based on presenting symptoms. Results There were 654 Manitobans who responded to our survey, 616 (94.2%) of whom had or provided care to someone who had COVID-19, and 334 (54.2%) reported symptoms lasting 3 or more months. On average, respondents reported having 10 symptoms suggestive of LCS, with the most common being extreme fatigue (79.6%), issues with concentration, thinking and memory (76.6%), shortness of breath with activity (65.3%) and headaches (64.1%). Half of the respondents (49.2%) did not seek healthcare for COVID-19 or LCS. Primary care was sought by 66.2% respondents with symptoms suggestive of LCS, 15.2% visited an emergency department and 32.0% obtained care from a specialist or therapist. 62.6% of respondents with symptoms suggestive of LCS reported reducing work, school or other activities which demonstrate its impact on physical function and health-related quality of life. Conclusion Consistent with the literature, there are a variety of symptoms experienced among individuals with COVID-19 and LCS. Healthcare providers face challenge in providing care for patients with a wide range of symptoms unlikely to respond to a single intervention. These findings support the value of interdisciplinary COVID-19 clinics due to the complexity of the syndrome. This study confirms that data collected from the healthcare system do not provide a comprehensive reflection of LCS.
Introduction:
SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19, is a multisystemic disease with a range of symptoms and severity. First diagnosed in December 2019, a number of symptoms have been documented largely affecting the respiratory system but also affecting the heart, kidney, liver, muscles, skin and nervous systems. Clinical manifestations in the initial phase of COVID-19 may include fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat, loss of taste and smell, congestion and headaches. 1–3 The severity of initial symptoms among Canadian adults…
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