A study of 7 million medical records found that in Australia, patients with long COVID are more likely to be women than men, or people aged 40–59 and those living in a high socioeconomic area. They usually have pre-existing health problems. The findings, published by Macquarie University's Australian Institute of Health Innovation in the Medical Journal of Australia , add key insights about the demographics and clinical profile of people most likely to be diagnosed with long COVID.
The global COVID pandemic was declared over by health authorities in 2023, but the impact of long COVID continues to pose a challenge to medical care and research. Most people infected with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) fully recover after a few weeks, but some patients face persistent symptoms for many months after the infection. There is no universally agreed definition of long COVID, but common symptoms include shortness of breath, cough, chest pain , fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, abdominal pain or nausea and even organ damage.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates up to 10% of COVID patients will develop long COVID, imposing a significant burden on the health system and economy. But the true frequency and factors associated with long COVID in Australia is poorly understood, impeding evidence-based interventions to treat and provide services to patients. The Australian difference Macquarie University researchers led by Professor Andrew Georgiou from the Australian Institute of Health .