Understanding the Experience of Long COVID Symptoms in Hospitalized and Non-Hospitalized Individuals: A Random, Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Abstract

The relationship between initial COVID-19 infection and the development of long COVID remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the experience of long COVID in previously hospitalized and non-hospitalized adults in a community-based, cross-sectional telephone survey. Participants included persons with positive COVID-19 test results between 21 March 2021 and 21 October 2021 in Alberta, Canada. The survey included 330 respondents (29.1% response rate), which included 165 previously hospitalized and 165 non-hospitalized individuals. Significantly more previously hospitalized respondents self-reported long COVID symptoms (81 (49.1%)) compared to non-hospitalized respondents (42 (25.5%), p p = 0.06). Hospitalized respondents with long COVID symptoms reported greater limitations on everyday activities from their symptoms compared to non-hospitalized respondents (p p p > 0.05). This study provides novel data to further support that individuals who were hospitalized for COVID-19 appear more likely to experience long COVID symptoms.

Keywords

• long COVID
• hospitalization
• patient experience
• COVID-19 recovery
• COVID-19 severity and impact