A new study in England found that nearly one in 10 people in the country believe they could have Long COVID.
Researchers from the University of Southampton looked at data collected by the country’s National Health Service (NHS), which showed that nearly 5% of people reported having Long COVID. Another analysis that included more than 750,000 responses found that over 9% of people believe they may have the condition.
The report from the UK is not the first to suggest potentially high rates of sufferers. Earlier this year, The Dallas Express reported on a prior study that concluded that a staggering four out of 10 people infected with the COVID-19 virus develop Long COVID. Some people report health complications, like extreme fatigue, lingering for months and even years.
Professor Nisreen Alwan, co-author of the study, told the BBC that the condition is “still a very significant issue impacting individuals, families, the economy and wider society. ”
“We need to do more to prevent it, diagnose it, and properly support people who are affected by it,” she added.
The study’s authors say that individuals under 25, males, and people from specific ethnic backgrounds were the least certain of whether they had the condition. Men, for example, tend to be less likely to visit a doctor than women, potentially explaining the higher uncertainty rates. The authors also theorize that stigma and self-doubt could be discouraging some people from seeking medical help.
“We were really surprised to find so many people weren’t sure whether they had Long COVID or not, and the study shows there is still work to do to increase awareness of the condition and remove barriers to accessing diagnosis, treatment and support,” said Mirembe Woodrow, a PhD student at Southampton, who performed the analysis.
“We don’t want Long COVID to be another factor that contributes to the widening health gap in the UK,” said Woodrow.