Study Results from National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Provide New Insights into Coronavirus (Health Insurance and Access To Care In Us Working-age Adults Experiencing Long Covid): RNA Viruses – Coronavirus

2024 OCT 23 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Current study results on RNA Viruses - Coronavirus have been published. According to news reporting originating from Atlanta, Georgia, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Long COVID encompasses a wide range of health problems that emerge, persist, or recur following acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness. Given that the prevalence of self-reported Long COVID is highest among U.S. adults in their prime working years, it is important to identify unmet needs and gaps in healthcare access and coverage among working-age adults.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, “Prevalences (95% confidence intervals [CI]) of health insurance coverage and access to care by Long COVID status were estimated among adults 18-64 years (n=18,117), accounting for survey design and weighted to the U.S. non-institutionalized population in the 2022 National Health Interview Survey. Analyses were conducted in 2023. Overall, 3.7% (95% CI 3.4, 4.0) of respondents were experiencing Long COVID. Adults experiencing Long COVID were less likely to report being uninsured relative to adults not experiencing Long COVID (p=0.004); however, 49.0% (95% CI 43.2, 54.7) had high deductible health plans. Adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, adults experiencing Long COVID were more likely to access healthcare compared to adults not experiencing Long COVID (p <0.01 for seeing a doctor, telemedicine appointments, >= 2 urgent care visits, >= 2 emergency department visits, and hospitalized overnight). Despite more frequent healthcare use, adults experiencing Long COVID were also more likely to abstain from and delay medical care, therapy, and prescriptions due to cost compared to adults not experiencing Long COVID (p <0.0001 for all comparisons).”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “These findings may be used to inform healthcare planning for adults experiencing Long COVID and highlight the ongoing need to improve access and affordability of quality and comprehensive care.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Health Insurance and Access To Care In Us Working-age Adults Experiencing Long Covid. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2024;67(4):530-539. American Journal of Preventive Medicine can be contacted at: Elsevier Science Inc, Ste 800, 230 Park Ave, New York, NY 10169, USA. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; American Journal of Preventive Medicine - http://www.journals.elsevier.com/american-journal-of-preventive-medicine/)

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Nicole D. Ford, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coronavirus & Other Respirator Viruses Div, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Atlanta, GA, United States. Additional authors for this research include Douglas Slaughter, Alexandra F. Dalton, Deja Edwards, Kevin Ma, Hope King and Sharon Saydah.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2024.05.007. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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