Long COVID demographic and secondary care referral characteristics in primary care: analysis of anonymised primary care data from a multiethnic, deprived urban area in the UK
Once the nature and number of patients with Long COVID was more fully understood, UK secondary care developed services to investigate, treat and support these patients. We aimed to identify evidence for demographic health inequalities based on general practitioner (GP) Long COVID referrals to available secondary care services. Despite Long COVID demographics broadly reflecting the multiethnic and socially disadvantaged profile of the study population, we found that secondary care referral was mainly focussed on older age patients and those born in the UK with co-morbid anxiety; although co-morbid diabetes was associated with reduced referrals.
Authors
- Caroline J. Jolley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3538-2451)
- Florence Tydeman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9717-5533)
- Vasa Ćurčin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8308-2886)
- Georgios Kaltsakas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6852-1553)
- Trudie Chalder (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0775-1045)
- Nicholas Hart (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6863-585X)
- Stevo Durbaba (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4098-5399)
- Mark J. Ashworth (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6514-9904)
- Julie Moore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5419-0183)
- Martin Chapman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5242-9701)
- Yanzhong Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0768-1676)
- Laura Duly
- Matt Friend
Institutions
- King's College London (GB)
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine
- Published
- 2024-09-30
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41533-024-00385-8
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.74
Funders
- UK Research and Innovation
- Cancer Research UK
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- Medical Research Council