Healthcare utilisation of 282,080 individuals with long COVID over two years: a multiple matched control, longitudinal cohort analysis.

Mu, Yi; Dashtban, Ashkan; Mizani, Mehrdad A; Tomlinson, Chris; Mohamed, Mohamed; Ashworth, Mark; Mamas, Mamas; Priedon, Rouven; Petersen, Steffen; Kontopantelis, Evan; Horstmanshof, Kim; Pagel, Christina; Hocaoğlu, Mevhibe; Khunti, Kamlesh; Williams, Richard; Thygesen, Johan; Lorgelly, Paula; Gomes, Manuel; Heightman, Melissa; Banerjee, Amitava

Abstract

ObjectivesTo investigate healthcare utilisation and cost in individuals with long COVID (LC) at population level.DesignCase-control cohort analysis with multiple age-, sex-, ethnicity-, deprivation-, region- and comorbidity-matched control groups: (1) COVID only, no LC; (2) pre-pandemic; (3) contemporary non-COVID; and (4) pre-LC (self-controlled, pre-COVID pandemic).SettingNational, population-based, linked UK electronic health records (British Heart Foundation/NHS England Secure Data Environment).ParticipantsAdults aged ≥18 years with LC between January 2020 and January 2023.Main outcome measuresHealthcare utilisation (number of consultations/visits per person: primary care (general practitioner [GP]), secondary care (outpatient [OP], inpatient [IP] and emergency department [ED], investigations and procedures) and inflation-adjusted cost (£) for LC and control populations per month, calendar year and pandemic year for each category.ResultsA total of 282,080 individuals with LC were included between January 2020 and January 2023. The control groups were COVID only, no LC (n = 1,112,370), pre-pandemic (n = 1,031,285), contemporary non-COVID (n = 1,118,360) and pre-LC (n = 282,080). Healthcare utilisation per person (per month/year) was higher in LC than controls across GP, OP and ED. For IP, LC had higher healthcare utilisation than pre-LC and contemporary non-COVID (all p ConclusionsLC has been associated with substantial, persistent healthcare utilisation and cost over the last three years. Future funding, resources and staff for LC prevention, treatment and research must be prioritised to reduce sustained primary and secondary healthcare utilisation and costs.

Citation

Mu, Y., Dashtban, A., Mizani, M. A., Tomlinson, C., Mohamed, M., Ashworth, M., Mamas, M., Priedon, R., Petersen, S., Kontopantelis, E., Horstmanshof, K., Pagel, C., Hocaoğlu, M., Khunti, K., Williams, R., Thygesen, J., Lorgelly, P., Gomes, M., Heightman, M., & Banerjee, A. (in press). Healthcare utilisation of 282,080 individuals with long COVID over two years: a multiple matched control, longitudinal cohort analysis. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 13. https://doi.org/10.1177/01410768241288345

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 15, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Nov 27, 2024
• Deposit Date: Dec 12, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 12, 2024
• Journal: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
• Print ISSN: 0141-0768
• Electronic ISSN: 1758-1095
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Article Number: 01410768241288345
• Pages: 13
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/01410768241288345
• Keywords: epidemiology, Public Health, Health Economics, Health Policy
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/1013100
• PMID: 39603265