Association of long COVID with health-related quality-of-life outcomes

Authors

• Malini M. Gandhi, Brigham and Women's Hospital
• Carlee Moser, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Judith S. Currier, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
• Justin Ritz, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Joseph J. Eron, UNC School of Medicine
• Eric S. Daar, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
• David A. Wohl, UNC School of Medicine
• William A. Fischer, UNC School of Medicine
• Upinder Singh, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
• Michael D. Hughes, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Davey M. Smith, Department of Medicine
• Teresa H. Evering, Weill Cornell Medicine
• Kara W. Chew, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
• Alem Haile, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
• Rachel Presti, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
• Hannah Seagle, Wake Forest University Health Sciences
• Jamraus Fayssoux, Wake Forest University Health Sciences
• Aimee Wilkin, Wake Forest University Health Sciences
• Hannah Hazard-Jenkins, West Virginia University
• Midhun Malla, West Virginia University
• Matthew Caloura, Vida Clinical Studies
• Hisham Atriss, Vida Clinical Studies
• Derrick Williamson, Vida Clinical Studies
• Lisa Nakatani, Valley Clinical Research Inc
• Christopher Chow, Valley Clinical Research Inc
• Masoud Azizad, Valley Clinical Research Inc
• Mary Lewinski, VA San Diego Healthcare System
• David David Davey Smith, VA San Diego Healthcare System
• Sanjay Mehta, VA San Diego Healthcare System
• Kimberly Turner-Gray, UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Smruthi Senthil, UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Mamta K. Jain, UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Chris Jonsson, University of Washington
• Krystle Fetalvero, De La Salle Health Sciences Institute
• Melchor Victor Frias, De La Salle Health Sciences Institute

Publication Date

12-1-2026

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Scientific Reports

Abstract

The association of long COVID with health-related quality-of-life (HrQOL) has not been well-characterized. Participants who received blinded placebo in the ACTIV-2/A5401 outpatient COVID-19 treatment trial were included in an analysis of the association of long COVID with HrQOL (both pre-specified exploratory trial endpoints) 9 months after acute COVID-19. Long COVID was defined as presence of self-assessed COVID-19 symptoms and HrQOL was assessed with EQ-5D-5L and SF-36v2 questionnaires. Associations were evaluated by Fisher’s exact tests and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Of 546 participants, 13% had long COVID. Long COVID was associated with greater risk of reported problems in the EQ-5D-5L dimensions of mobility, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression (risk ratios 3.45–6.00, all p < 0.001) and worse self-reported health scores (median 80 vs. 95, p < 0.001). Participants with long COVID also had worse SF-36v2 composite physical and mental component scores (both p < 0.001) and individual SF-36 domain scores (physical functioning, physical role, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, emotional role, and mental health; all p < 0.001). Associations were similar regardless of baseline (pre-COVID-19) medical history. Long COVID is associated with impaired HrQOL across multiple domains, highlighting the need to develop preventative and therapeutic interventions for this protean condition.

APA Citation

Gandhi, M., Moser, C., Currier, J., Ritz, J., Eron, J., Daar, E., Wohl, D., Fischer, W., Singh, U., Hughes, M., Smith, D., Evering, T., Chew, K., Haile, A., Presti, R., Seagle, H., Fayssoux, J., Wilkin, A., Hazard-Jenkins, H., Malla, M., Caloura, M., Atriss, H., Williamson, D., Nakatani, L., Chow, C., Azizad, M., Lewinski, M., Smith, D., Mehta, S., Turner-Gray, K., Senthil, S., Jain, M., Jonsson, C., Fetalvero, K., & Frias, M. (12-1-2026). Association of long COVID with health-related quality-of-life outcomes. Faculty Research and Scholarly Works.
DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-36189-8