United States: Long COVID, which is scientifically known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), has been becoming a major threat for millions of Americans as it is posing health challenges. It is to be noted that as of now, as many as 17 million Americans are affected by COVID-19, according to the latest data shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Several reports have outlined that the survey was jointly conducted by CDC and KFF. In addition to this, the Census Bureau has outlined that as many as 258 million American adults have been dealing with the infection; along with this, the CDC Household Pulse Survey mentioned that 6.7 percent of respondents complained about suffering with long COVID.  

Besides this, other data suggested that COVID was a health problem for around three in ten (3 in 10) people, and approximately one in ten (1 in 10) are still suffering from the infection. It is worth noting that these figures were revealed in the CDC’s Household Pulse Survey.

How was the survey conducted? 

The reports have highlighted that the survey was conducted by CDC, in collaboration with Census Bureau, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The research focused on health-related questions, such as the breakdown of Long COVID in terms of location, sex, age group, race, and education.

In the most recent investigation spanning from February 6 to March 4, 2024, individuals nationwide were queried regarding their current encounter with Long COVID. Vermont emerged as the locale with the highest prevalence, standing at 10.4 percent among all adults surveyed, while Rhode Island, a neighboring state in the New England region, recorded the lowest figure at 4.4 percent. Examining the survey data reveals only a select few states with clusters of Long COVID cases falling within the uppermost percentile bracket, ranging from 7.7 percent to 10.4 percent. Among these states are the contiguous territories of Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma, along with Nevada and Utah, which are also situated within the highest brackets.

A significant contrast emerged among individuals identifying as male, female, and transgender, with the latter group exhibiting the highest incidence rate. When inquired about their history of experiencing Long COVID as a percentage of all adults, 21.1 percent of cisgender females, 14.9 percent of cisgender males, and 26 percent of transgender individuals reported having endured the condition.

Regarding age demographics, the people between the age of 40 to 49 years old registered the highest proportion of individuals with Long COVID at 20.3 percent, while those aged 80 and above reported the lowest incidence at 9.9 percent. With the exception of this notable disparity, all other age cohorts hovered in the mid-to-high teens percentage-wise, excluding the 70 to 79 age group, which exhibited the second lowest prevalence at 11.3 percent.

In terms of racial background, respondents were questioned about their Long COVID experiences as a percentage of all adults. Individuals identifying as non-Hispanic, other races, and multiple races reported the highest prevalence at 22.2 percent. Following closely were those identifying as Hispanic or Latino at 20.9 percent, whereas the lowest incidence was observed among individuals identifying as non-Hispanic Asian, single race, at 11.0 percent. Non-Hispanic Black, single race, accounted for 14.9 percent, and Non-Hispanic White, single race, for 17 percent.

Concerning educational attainment, respondents were queried about their Long COVID experiences as a percentage of all adults. Those reporting Some college/Associate’s degree exhibited the highest prevalence at 20.6 percent, while those holding a Bachelor’s degree or higher recorded the lowest incidence at 15.1 percent.

Comments by experts!

After noticing the increased number of long-COVID cases in the US, Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, a board-certified internist in integrative medicine, shared his views. According to the reports by Contagion, Teitelbaum said,

“The symptoms are varied and can be due to multiple underlying causes. It’s not sufficient to treat everyone for a single issue.”

He added, “It’s crucial to differentiate among the various conditions that could be contributing to the patient’s symptoms.”