Health SA. 2025 Jul 9;30:2880. doi: 10.4102/hsag.v30i0.2880. eCollection 2025.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that survivors of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) experience ongoing symptoms, which is known as long COVID, or post-COVID syndrome. Approximately 100 million people globally are experiencing long COVID symptoms. Post-COVID syndrome (PCS) has debilitating effects on functioning and quality of life, potentially qualifying it as a disability.
AIM: This study aimed to assess the impact of PCS on disability levels using the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0).
SETTING: A digital cross-sectional survey was conducted through online platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
METHODS: A self-developed questionnaire was distributed via social media to collect demographic information, COVID-19 symptoms, and severity. The WHODAS 2.0 instrument was used to measure disability levels. A total of 101 participants completed the online survey.
RESULTS: Most participants were aged between 21 years and 30 years (66%) and were female (60%). The most common acute COVID-19 symptoms were sore throat, fever, and headaches (84%). Post-COVID symptoms included brain fog and tiredness (82%). There was a statistically significant relationship between brain fog, depression, anxiety, and disability summary scores (p < 0.005). The mean WHODAS 2.0 score was 34%, indicating a moderate level of disability.
CONCLUSION: This study’s results align with previous research, highlighting tiredness and neuropsychiatric symptoms as common among post-COVID patients. Post-COVID syndrome results in moderate disability when assessed using the WHODAS 2.0 with domains of Life Activities and Cognition mostly affected.
CONTRIBUTION: Post-COVID syndrome should be recognised as a disabling health condition, with rehabilitation prioritised as a critical intervention to enhance functional capacity and quality of life.
PMID:40800146 | PMC:PMC12339850 | DOI:10.4102/hsag.v30i0.2880
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