Quality of life among individuals with long COVID symptoms in Indonesia at four points of recovery

We aim to assess the health-related quality of life of individuals with long COVID in Indonesia at < 6 months, 6–12 months, 12–24 months, and > 24 months after recovery from the initial COVID-19 diagnosis. Descriptive cross-sectional online surveys were administered to adults who self-reported experiencing one or more symptoms associated with long COVID. The short form health survey (SF-36) was used to evaluate health-related quality of life. Among 200 participants (N = 200), 5% had recovered from COVID-19 less than six months prior, 5% between six and 12 months ago, 24% between 12 and 24 months ago, and 60% over 24 months ago. The most common long COVID symptoms reported at the four time points examined included fatigue, difficulties with concentration, sleep disorders, muscle pain, and anxiety. While the prevalence of poor health-related quality of life was lower at four distinct intervals, mental health challenges were experienced by the majority of participants (56.1%). This ongoing struggle could lead to a diminished quality of life for individuals with long COVID, even after recovering from the initial COVID-19 infection for more than 24 months. Individuals with long COVID may experience a deterioration in their quality of life due to mental health issues, even if they have recovered from the initial COVID-19 infection for over 24 months. Therefore, it is crucial to offer adequate support to these individuals.