Fatigue and somatic symptom burden among U.S. adults with current, previous, or no history of long COVID

ABSTRACT

Objective

Long COVID is associated with many symptoms, including fatigue. As some with long COVID report remission of symptoms over time, previous long COVID has become increasingly prevalent. This cross-sectional study assessed differences in fatigue and somatic symptom burden among individuals with current, previous, and no history of long COVID symptoms.

Methods

An online survey was conducted with United States adults (N = 2,872), with 2,310 reporting never experiencing long COVID, 183 reporting previously experiencing long COVID, and 379 reporting currently experiencing long COVID. Multivariable linear regression analyses were used to assess the association of long COVID status with fatigue and somatic symptom burden.

Results

Participants were an average age of 41.3, with the majority identifying as female (51.7%), White (87.6%), and non-Hispanic or Latino/e (87.6%). Both fatigue and somatic symptoms were significantly higher among those with both current (ps < 0.001; d = 1.24, 1.38 respectively) and previous long COVID (ps < 0.001; d = 0.42, 0.82 respectively) compared to those reporting never having long COVID. These differences remained after accounting for health behaviors (alcohol use, tobacco use, physical activity, sleep).

Conclusions

Long COVID, regardless of current presence, may be associated with fatigue and somatic symptom burden.

KEYWORDS:

• Fatigue
• pain
• somatic symptoms
• long COVID
• post-acute sequalae of COVID-19
• post-viral syndrome

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data and analytic code are available upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Zoe Sirotiak

Zoe Sirotiak is a graduate student in the Department of Kinesiology at Iowa State University. Her research interests include psychological and sociological aspects of health, particularly somatic syndromes.

Emily B. K. Thomas

Emily B. K. Thomas is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa in the department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, where she directs the THRIVE Lab.

Jenna L. Adamowicz

Jenna L Adamowicz is a graduate student in the Clinical Science program at the University of Iowa and a doctoral intern at VA Connecticut Healthcare System: West Haven.

Angelique G. Brellenthin

Angelique G. Brellenthin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Iowa State University. Her research focuses on the relationship between physical activity and mental health in clinical and general adult populations.