A Comprehensive Assessment of Self-Reported Post COVID-19 Symptoms Among Beneficiaries of Hospital Employee Scheme at a Tertiary Healthcare Institution in Northern India

• Published in: International journal of general medicine 2022-01, Vol.15, p.7355-7372
• Main Authors: Senjam, Suraj Singh, Balhara, Yatan Pal Singh, Kumar, Pameshwar, Nischal, Neeraj, Manna, Souvik, Madan, Karan, Ahmed, Nishat Hussain, Gupta, Noopur, Vashist, Praveen, Guleria, Randeep
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Beneficiaries; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 diagnostic tests; cross sectional study; Cross-sectional studies; Data collection; Health aspects; Hospitals; long covid-19; northern india; Original Research; Pandemics; Polls & surveys; post covid-19 symptoms; Questionnaires; Risk factors; Self report; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Sleep disorders; Surveys; Vaccination
• ISSN: 1178-7074; 1178-7074
• DOI: 10.2147/IJGM.S381070

Purpose: With millions of people being affected by COVID-19, people living with post COVID-19 clinical symptoms (PCS) are expected to rise further. The primary aim of the study was to comprehensively assess self-reported PCS and its associated risk factors among beneficiaries of Hospital Employee Scheme of a tertiary healthcare institution in Delhi. Patients and Methods: An online cross-sectional study was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire developed by employing nominal group technique among individuals aged 18 years and above who were novel SARS-CoV-2 positive from January to April 2021. Participants were telephoned first, before sending the online survey link. Socio-demographic data, information on PCS along with potential risk factors, pre-existing morbidities, vaccination status, severity of acute illness and management were collected between June and July 2021. PCS was presented as relative frequency; Chi-Square test and odds ratio; adjusted values were used to rule out any association between PCS and predictors. Results: In total, 773 of 1801 eligible participants responded to the survey (completion rate 42.9%), with a median age of 34 years (IQR 27-44). Males accounted for 56.4% and PCS was present in 33.2%. The most prevalent symptoms were fatigue (79.3%), arthralgia (33.4%), myalgia (29.9%), hair loss (28.0%), headache (27.2%), breathlessness (25.3%), and sleep disturbance (25.3%). The prevalence of PCS was reduced to 12.8% at 12 weeks. Female gender, older age, oxygen supplementation, severity of acute illness, and pre-existing co-morbidities were positively associated with PCS. Vaccination (second dose) reduced the odds of developing PCS by 39% compared to unvaccinated participants (aOR 0.61; 95% CI 0.40-0.96). Conclusion: PCS affects almost all organ systems of the body, regardless of the severity of acute COVID-19 illness. Two doses of vaccine hel reduce the development of PCS. Keywords: COVID-19, post COVID-19 symptoms, long COVID-19, cross-sectional study, Northern India