Functional disabilities and adverse well‐being by COVID‐19 and Long COVID history and employment status: 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Background Long COVID can lead to functional disabilities and decreased well‐being and limit the ability to work. No study has yet assessed associations of SARS‐CoV‐2‐infection and Long COVID with specific measures of well‐being and functional disabilities among workers by employment status. Methods Using data from the U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we assessed the prevalence of functional disabilities and well‐being measures among adults of prime working age (25–54 years) by employment status and self‐reported COVID‐19 and Long COVID history. Within each employment status, we generated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) comparing respondents from each 2022 COVID‐19/Long COVID category to respondents in that employment status before the pandemic (2019). Results In 2022, prevalences of each functional disability except vision and all adverse well‐being measures were highest among the 9.2% of respondents reporting a history of Long COVID. For each outcome, prevalences were lowest for workers and highest among those unable to work. 2022 prevalence of cognitive disability (16.4% of employees, 21.4% of the self‐employed) and depression (31.2% and 36.4%, respectively) among workers reporting a history of Long COVID were more than double 2019 levels. Increases in cognitive disability and depression were lower but statistically significant among workers not reporting a history of Long COVID. Conclusions The high prevalence of functional disabilities and adverse well‐being among workers reporting a history of Long COVID have implications for workers and employers. Also concerning are smaller increases among workers not reporting a history of Long COVID, given the large number of affected workers. Mitigating the effects of Long COVID on workers will involve efforts in multiple domains: reducing incidence, increasing healthcare practitioner awareness, improving diagnosis and treatments, and increasing employer awareness of best practices for accommodating workers with Long COVID.