By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Last week, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report from the Disability and Health Data System (DHDS) that states that Long COVID symptoms are more prevalent among people with disabilities than among those without disabilities.
Defined as an infection-associated chronic condition that presents itself for at least 3 months as a continuous, relapsing and remitting, or progressive disease state that affects one or more organ systems, Long COVID symptoms can include fatigue, brain fog, palpitations, shortness of breath, and pain.
While Long COVID can occur in anyone who gets a SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) infection, people with disabilities are at a higher risk of developing Long COVID and should be aware of potential symptoms and factors they may be experiencing. Those factors for increased risk of Long COVID include underlying medical conditions, congregate living settings, or systemic health and social inequities.
Data from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) revealed that more than 1 in 4 adults (70 million) in the United States reported having a disability in 2022.
“With over 70 million adults in the United States reporting a disability, what’s important to remember is disability is not a health outcome, it is part of the way people experience life, such as hearing, seeing, moving, processing information, and caring for oneself,” says Dr. Joe Holbrook, Team Lead of CDC’s Disability and Health Data and Science Team.
According to Jessica Bender, clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and co-medical director of the UW Medicine Long COVID Clinic, there is a wide spectrum of symptoms and severity, and for many people, their Long COVID symptoms do improve, but for others, their symptoms can be disabling.
In February 2024, a survey of adults 40-59 in Washington state revealed that 17.6% of adults have not had Long COVID, while 7.4% currently suffer from it.
“Through the CDC’s work with the Census Bureau, we have ongoing data on Long COVID prevalence and incidence nationally which has been incredibly helpful in understanding the scope of the problem. It is through this same survey that we learned that people who are transgender are also at much higher risk for Long COVID,” says Bender.
Typically, Long COVID begins almost immediately with the acute COVID-19 infection. Persistent symptoms three months after infection could indicate Long COVID. Bender identified several risk factors, including high blood pressure, lung disease, diabetes, immunosuppression, and smoking.
The first-time collection of data on Long COVID experiences has provided valuable insights into its relationship with disabilities.
“Within specific functional domains of disability, more people with cognitive and mobility disabilities (12.1%) reported experiencing Long COVID compared to those with hearing (10.6%) and vision (9.8%) disabilities,” Holbrook stated.
The DHDS findings also revealed higher disability prevalence among older adults and the highest prevalence among American Indian, Alaska Native, and Multiracial groups.
“The findings from the annual DHDS update highlight the fact that people with disabilities are a large part of every community. Accurate public health data on people with disabilities is crucial for reducing health disparities and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities across the lifespan,” Holbrook emphasized.
Medical personnel at the UW Long COVID clinic believe that more research needs to be done to help society better understand the link between Long COVID and individuals with disabilities. Bender believes that people with disabilities are more likely to have unmet needs, and that Long COVID patients experience challenges accessing healthcare.
“It is particularly important that we better understand this increased risk of Long COVID for people with disabilities,” says Bender. “Moving forward, I hope for a healthcare system that is more welcoming and accommodating for people with Long COVID and for people with disabilities.”
“CDC is working with public health partners and other federal agencies to better understand and address who gets Long COVID, the risk factors associated with Long COVID symptoms, its long-term impacts, and how to support people with disabilities,” says Holbrook. “By enhancing disability inclusion in data and community settings, we can help reduce health disparities by improving access to care and services for people with disabilities to promote health and well-being.”