New Data Highlights Impact of Long COVID

New Data Highlights Impact of Long COVID

Posted on Friday, November 08, 2024

The TSU Center for Transformative Health COVID Research Institute is excited to announce the release of new data on Long COVID, adding to the growing body of evidence that seeks to identify and characterize risk. The study revealed that individuals who experienced more severe acute infections, as well as those with comorbidities such as heart disease and asthma, were more likely to develop Long COVID.

Additionally, symptoms including poor physical health, anxiety, chest pain, constipation, heart palpitations, hypersomnia, and shortness of breath were also linked to a higher risk of Long COVID. This research sheds light on the ongoing challenges individuals face when experiencing the long-term effects of COVID-19.

Over the past year, Texas Southern University has conducted extensive research aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of the range of post-acute sequelae associated with COVID-19, identifying individuals who are most at risk for developing these long-term effects, and addressing existing gaps in knowledge regarding the epidemiological, clinical, and nonclinical risk factors linked to post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.

Key Findings:

• Individuals who reported severe symptoms had 29.58 times greater odds of developing long COVID compared to those with mild symptoms.

• Those who reported heart disease had 6.00 times higher odds of developing Long COVID in comparison to those who did not indicate heart disease as a comorbid condition.
• Those who experienced heart palpitations and shortness of breath during infection experienced 4.97- and 6.59 times higher odds of developing long-term COVID, respectively.

"Our data reveals a significant and concerning trend in the prevalence of long COVID, which affects not only individual health but also broader societal implications," said Dr. Zuri Dale, Executive Director of the Center for Transformative Health. "These findings underscore the need for continued research and support for those impacted."

"The data highlights the challenges and emphasizes the importance of vaccination and public health measures to reduce the risk of Long COVID. As we work toward recovery, understanding the long-term impacts of COVID-19 is essential for informing public health policy and resource allocation.

Texas Southern University is committed to advancing scientific knowledge and understanding related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We call on stakeholders-including healthcare providers, policymakers, and community organizations-to act based on these findings to better support individuals living with Long COVID.

For more information about the data, including detailed findings and methodology, please visit here.

About the TSU Center for Transformative Health

At the Center for Transformative Health, we strive to conduct research and help develop multi-level interventions that not only drive change in population health but also further the science that transforms lives. The primary goal of the center is to improve health and quality of life and serve as a resource center that will focus on health outcomes of diverse populations for the city of Houston and beyond. We work with local communities to develop, test, and evaluate solutions to 21st-century problems while developing creative and innovative approaches to improve public health.

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