Post-COVID 19 syndrome and quality of life in women

Abstract

Objectives: to determine the clinical and epidemiological profile of the long post-COVID syndrome (LPCS) and the quality of life among female survivors compared to males after hospitalization for COVID-19 in the city of Recife, Brazil. Methods: a prospective cohort study analyzed demographic and clinical data during hospitalization, as well as LPCS and the quality of life questionnairewhereasdata was collected by telecare at three, sixand 12 months after hospital discharge. Logistic regression was used to explore the association between variables and each dimension of the questionnaire. Results: 887 patients were included. At the end of three, sixand 12 months, women were more frequently reported with LPCS (p<0.001). Regarding quality of life, women tended to worsen over time in all domains compared to men: mobility domain (28.4% versus 9.3%, p<0.05), personal care (14.8% versus 5.6%; p<0.05), usual activities (30.8% versus 13.1%, p < 0.05), pain/discomfort (29% versus 16.9%, p<0.05) and anxiety/depression (43.8% versus 33.3%, p<0.05). Conclusion: the frequency of LPCS increased and the quality of life worsened with both genders until the first year after hospital discharge, especially in women.