Almost one in 10 people (9.1%) in England think they could have long COVID but aren’t sure, according to a new analysis of NHS England survey data by the University of Southampton.

Researchers also found that 4.8% of people reported having long COVID, with higher rates among people living in deprived areas, people with particular ethnic backgrounds, parents or caregivers, and those with another long-term condition.

The findings of “Exploring Long COVID prevalence and patient uncertainty by sociodemographic characteristics using GP Patient Survey data” are published in the journal Health Expectations.

Professor Nisreen A Alwan, who has pioneered research into long COVID since 2020 and who co-authored the study, said, “This analysis adds further evidence of the unfairness of long COVID, with people who are already disadvantaged in society more likely to be affected.

“It also shows us that many people aren’t sure if they have it, and may need diagnosis, treatment and support.

“Long COVID 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.”

Long COVID is a chronic condition induced by COVID-19 infection that can have a significant impact on people’s daily lives. Symptoms include fatigue, feeling short of breath, ‘brain fog’, and heart palpitations, among many others.

University of Southampton researchers analyzed over 750,000 responses to the GP Patient Survey (England) 2023 to explore the prevalence of long COVID, and the factors associated with both having the condition and being uncertain of having it.

They found that people aged under 25 years, males, people from particular ethnic minorities, and people without long-term conditions were more likely to be unsure if they had long COVID.

Men are generally less likely to seek medical advice than women, which could partly explain their higher level of uncertainty. The team also say stigma and self-doubt could discourage people from seeking a diagnosis.

Mirembe Woodrow, who is studying for a Ph.D. at Southampton and who carried out the analysis, said, “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.

“We don’t want long COVID to be another factor that contributes to the widening health gap in the UK.”

The most recent data from the 2024 GP Patient Survey indicates long COVID prevalence and uncertainty are not declining (5.0% and 9.0%). Professor Alwan’s team intends to carry out further work using the survey to understand what could be driving inequality in prevalence, impact and support for long COVID.