Health outcomes in Brazilian adults one year after COVID-19 infection
1
Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza/Ceará, Brasil
2
Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza/Ceará, Brasil
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A128
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Post-COVID-19 conditions have emerged as an important public health challenge due to the persistence of symptoms and clinical sequelae long after the acute phase of infection. These outcomes may affect multiple organ systems and generate sustained health demands. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and describe post-COVID-19 symptoms and clinical outcomes in Brazilian adults one year after COVID-19 infection.
METHODS:
This cross-sectional, retrospective, quantitative study included 854 Brazilian adults aged 18 years or older with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 at least one year prior to data collection. Data was collected through an electronic questionnaire. Post-COVID-19 symptoms and clinical outcomes were identified based on self-report. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed.
RESULTS:
Overall, 64.3% of participants reported at least one post-COVID-19 symptom or sequela. The most prevalent persistent symptoms were fatigue (74.1%), difficulty breathing (43.7%), hair loss (42.7%), and other persistent symptoms (42.7%). Regarding post-COVID-19 clinical outcomes, systemic arterial hypertension was reported by 16.0% of participants, followed by muscle weakness (34.2%), severe respiratory infection (6.9%), chronic neuropathic pain (6.8%), and diabetes mellitus after COVID-19 (5.3%). Less frequent but clinically relevant outcomes included deep vein thrombosis (1.9%), pulmonary embolism (1.5%), acute kidney injury (1.4%), stroke (0.9%), and acute myocardial infarction (0.7%). These findings demonstrate a wide spectrum of post-COVID-19 manifestations affecting cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, respiratory, and musculoskeletal systems.
CONCLUSIONS:
Post-COVID-19 conditions were highly prevalent one year after infection, with a substantial burden of persistent symptoms and clinically relevant sequelae. The diversity and frequency of these outcomes highlight the need for long-term monitoring, integrated care strategies, and health service planning to address the ongoing consequences of COVID-19.
Post-COVID-19 conditions have emerged as an important public health challenge due to the persistence of symptoms and clinical sequelae long after the acute phase of infection. These outcomes may affect multiple organ systems and generate sustained health demands. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and describe post-COVID-19 symptoms and clinical outcomes in Brazilian adults one year after COVID-19 infection.
METHODS:
This cross-sectional, retrospective, quantitative study included 854 Brazilian adults aged 18 years or older with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 at least one year prior to data collection. Data was collected through an electronic questionnaire. Post-COVID-19 symptoms and clinical outcomes were identified based on self-report. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed.
RESULTS:
Overall, 64.3% of participants reported at least one post-COVID-19 symptom or sequela. The most prevalent persistent symptoms were fatigue (74.1%), difficulty breathing (43.7%), hair loss (42.7%), and other persistent symptoms (42.7%). Regarding post-COVID-19 clinical outcomes, systemic arterial hypertension was reported by 16.0% of participants, followed by muscle weakness (34.2%), severe respiratory infection (6.9%), chronic neuropathic pain (6.8%), and diabetes mellitus after COVID-19 (5.3%). Less frequent but clinically relevant outcomes included deep vein thrombosis (1.9%), pulmonary embolism (1.5%), acute kidney injury (1.4%), stroke (0.9%), and acute myocardial infarction (0.7%). These findings demonstrate a wide spectrum of post-COVID-19 manifestations affecting cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, respiratory, and musculoskeletal systems.
CONCLUSIONS:
Post-COVID-19 conditions were highly prevalent one year after infection, with a substantial burden of persistent symptoms and clinically relevant sequelae. The diversity and frequency of these outcomes highlight the need for long-term monitoring, integrated care strategies, and health service planning to address the ongoing consequences of COVID-19.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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