Associations between demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic factors and mental health in long COVID: A clinic-based cross-sectional study.

A substantial proportion of Long COVID clinic patients screened positive for mental health conditions following COVID-19 infection.

• Overall, 38% of patients screened positive for anxiety following COVID-19 infection.
• 35% screened positive for depression following COVID-19 infection.
• 26% screened positive for both anxiety and depression simultaneously.
• The cohort consisted of 3,611 individuals diagnosed, referred to, and admitted at Post-COVID Recovery Clinics in British Columbia, Canada.

Cognitive issues were significantly associated with both anxiety and depression in multivariable analyses.

• Individuals with cognitive issues were more likely to report anxiety (RR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.34–1.56).
• Individuals with cognitive issues were more likely to report depression (RR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.42–1.68).
• These associations were found in multivariable Generalized Linear Regression analyses adjusting for potential confounders.
• Cognitive issues were among the most strongly associated factors for both mental health outcomes.

Activity limitations were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms in Long COVID patients.

• Activity limitations were associated with anxiety (RR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.01–1.24) in the multivariable model.
• Activity limitations were identified as one of three significant factors for anxiety alongside younger age and cognitive issues.
• This association was identified in multivariable analyses adjusting for potential confounders.

Physical impairments were significantly associated with depression symptoms in Long COVID patients.

• Physical impairments were associated with depression (RR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.24–1.65) in the multivariable model.
• Physical impairments were identified as one of three significant factors for depression alongside younger age and cognitive issues.
• This association was identified in multivariable analyses adjusting for potential confounders.

Younger age was significantly associated with both anxiety and depression symptoms in multivariable analyses.

• Younger age was significantly associated with symptoms of anxiety in the multivariable model.
• Younger age was significantly associated with symptoms of depression in the multivariable model.
• The cohort had a mean age of 50 years, and 62% of participants were female.
• Age was one of three clinical/demographic factors independently associated with both mental health outcomes after adjustment.

The study sample was predominantly female and middle-aged, drawn from Post-COVID Recovery Clinics in British Columbia, Canada.

• The cohort included 3,611 individuals who were diagnosed, referred to, and admitted at Post-COVID Recovery Clinics in British Columbia, Canada at the time of their admission.
• The mean age of the cohort was 50 years.
• 62% of participants were female.
• The dataset included demographic variables (sex, age, living situation, employment status, occupation, ethnicity), history of chronic conditions, and mental health outcomes.
• This was a secondary analysis using previously collected survey data.

Social determinants of health including living settings, place of living, employment status, and working hours were examined as exposures but were not identified as significant independent predictors of mental health outcomes in multivariable analyses.

• The study investigated living settings, place of living, employment status, and working hours as social determinants of health (SDoH).
• Univariable and multivariable Generalized Linear Regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between SDoH and mental health outcomes.
• In multivariable analyses, the significant factors identified were younger age, cognitive issues, activity limitations, and physical impairments — not the SDoH variables.
• The authors underscore the need for further longitudinal research to clarify causal pathways.