Post-COVID conditions and healthcare utilization among adults with and without disabilities-2021 Porter Novelli FallStyles survey.
Maureen J Miller, Leora R Feldstein, Joseph Holbrook and 10 others
PMID 36740547WHAT IT FOUND
Long-term symptoms were common in adults who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, regardless of disability status.
However, those with disabilities reported significantly more chronic fatigue and digestive symptoms, and were more likely to seek healthcare for these issues.
Key findings
01There was no statistically significant difference in the likelihood of having at least one long-term symptom between adults with disabilities and those without, among those who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
02Among adults who tested positive, those with disabilities were significantly more likely than those without disabilities to report myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome-like symptoms and digestive symptoms.
03Health care utilization for long-term symptoms was higher among respondents with disabilities who tested positive (40%) compared to respondents without disabilities who tested positive (18%).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot establish causality or the precise timing of symptom onset relative to infection. Disability status and health conditions were self-reported, which may introduce bias. The sample size of adults with disabilities who tested positive was small (n=82), reducing the power to detect differences. It is difficult to distinguish new post-COVID symptoms from pre-existing chronic conditions common in adults with disabilities. Recall bias may affect the reporting of symptom duration and severity.
Declared interests
The survey was conducted by Porter Novelli and Ipsos. The analysis was performed by the CDC. The funding source for the survey itself is not explicitly detailed in the provided text, but it is described as a non-U.S. Gov't research support publication type, implying external funding for the data collection.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that adults with disabilities have a higher overall prevalence of post-COVID conditions than those without. The study found no significant difference in the likelihood of having at least one long-term symptom between the two groups after testing positive. The differences lay in the specific types of symptoms (fatigue, digestive) and healthcare utilization.