Impairments following COVID-19 infection: manifestations and investigations of related factors

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic had a major global impact on the health and wellbeing for many individuals. Even though the infection rates have gone down due to the availability of vaccines, the consequences of the disease are still present due to persistent symptoms among individuals. The aim of th...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Farzaneh Badinlou, David Forsström, Markus Jansson-Fröjmark, Tamar Abzhandadze, Tobias Lundgren
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2023-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33810-y
_version_ 1797841101152845824
author Farzaneh Badinlou
David Forsström
Markus Jansson-Fröjmark
Tamar Abzhandadze
Tobias Lundgren
author_facet Farzaneh Badinlou
David Forsström
Markus Jansson-Fröjmark
Tamar Abzhandadze
Tobias Lundgren
author_sort Farzaneh Badinlou
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic had a major global impact on the health and wellbeing for many individuals. Even though the infection rates have gone down due to the availability of vaccines, the consequences of the disease are still present due to persistent symptoms among individuals. The aim of the current study was to map long‐term impairments in individuals infected with COVID-19 by applying the framework of the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and also investigate the factors related to the context of an individual’s life influencing the impairments. A web-survey that targeted individuals that had been infected with COVID-19 was used. The survey included a range of measures covering contextual factors and factors related to body functions and structures and post-COVID impairments. A total of 501 individuals were included in the study (with a mean age of 47.6 years). 96% of the respondents reported at least one moderate-to-severe impairment due to COVID-19 infection and the most frequent one was fatigue. In that, 79.6% and 86.9% of the study sample reported moderate-to-severe brain fatigue and tiredness or lack of energy, respectively. Severity of COVID-19 infection appeared as the strongest risk factor for post-COVID impairments. Based on the results, interventions can be tailored to help individuals with post-COVID-19 condition. This could be one way lessening the effect of COVID-19 on health care and society as a whole.
first_indexed 2024-04-09T16:25:34Z
format Article
id doaj.art-c04324397b1743c4b753d1d3ef7ab886
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2045-2322
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-09T16:25:34Z
publishDate 2023-04-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj.art-c04324397b1743c4b753d1d3ef7ab8862023-04-23T11:13:55ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-04-0113111310.1038/s41598-023-33810-yImpairments following COVID-19 infection: manifestations and investigations of related factorsFarzaneh Badinlou0David Forsström1Markus Jansson-Fröjmark2Tamar Abzhandadze3Tobias Lundgren4Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Health Care ServicesDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Health Care ServicesDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Health Care ServicesDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Health Care ServicesAbstract The COVID-19 pandemic had a major global impact on the health and wellbeing for many individuals. Even though the infection rates have gone down due to the availability of vaccines, the consequences of the disease are still present due to persistent symptoms among individuals. The aim of the current study was to map long‐term impairments in individuals infected with COVID-19 by applying the framework of the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and also investigate the factors related to the context of an individual’s life influencing the impairments. A web-survey that targeted individuals that had been infected with COVID-19 was used. The survey included a range of measures covering contextual factors and factors related to body functions and structures and post-COVID impairments. A total of 501 individuals were included in the study (with a mean age of 47.6 years). 96% of the respondents reported at least one moderate-to-severe impairment due to COVID-19 infection and the most frequent one was fatigue. In that, 79.6% and 86.9% of the study sample reported moderate-to-severe brain fatigue and tiredness or lack of energy, respectively. Severity of COVID-19 infection appeared as the strongest risk factor for post-COVID impairments. Based on the results, interventions can be tailored to help individuals with post-COVID-19 condition. This could be one way lessening the effect of COVID-19 on health care and society as a whole.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33810-y
spellingShingle Farzaneh Badinlou
David Forsström
Markus Jansson-Fröjmark
Tamar Abzhandadze
Tobias Lundgren
Impairments following COVID-19 infection: manifestations and investigations of related factors
Scientific Reports
title Impairments following COVID-19 infection: manifestations and investigations of related factors
title_full Impairments following COVID-19 infection: manifestations and investigations of related factors
title_fullStr Impairments following COVID-19 infection: manifestations and investigations of related factors
title_full_unstemmed Impairments following COVID-19 infection: manifestations and investigations of related factors
title_short Impairments following COVID-19 infection: manifestations and investigations of related factors
title_sort impairments following covid 19 infection manifestations and investigations of related factors
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33810-y
work_keys_str_mv AT farzanehbadinlou impairmentsfollowingcovid19infectionmanifestationsandinvestigationsofrelatedfactors
AT davidforsstrom impairmentsfollowingcovid19infectionmanifestationsandinvestigationsofrelatedfactors
AT markusjanssonfrojmark impairmentsfollowingcovid19infectionmanifestationsandinvestigationsofrelatedfactors
AT tamarabzhandadze impairmentsfollowingcovid19infectionmanifestationsandinvestigationsofrelatedfactors
AT tobiaslundgren impairmentsfollowingcovid19infectionmanifestationsandinvestigationsofrelatedfactors