Long COVID and psychosocial factors among middle-aged and older adults. Results of the nationally representative German Ageing Survey
Issued Date
2025-12-01
Resource Type
ISSN
15940667
eISSN
17208319
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105020894337
Pubmed ID
41191177
Journal Title
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research
Volume
37
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research Vol.37 No.1 (2025)
Suggested Citation
Hajek A., Blome C., Yon D.K., Soysal P., Gyasi R.M., Peltzer K., Pengpid S., König H.H. Long COVID and psychosocial factors among middle-aged and older adults. Results of the nationally representative German Ageing Survey. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research Vol.37 No.1 (2025). doi:10.1007/s40520-025-03246-7 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/113086
Title
Long COVID and psychosocial factors among middle-aged and older adults. Results of the nationally representative German Ageing Survey
Author's Affiliation
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Mahidol University
China Medical University Hospital
University of the Free State
KyungHee University College of Medicine
Southern Cross University
Bezmiâlem Vakıf Üniversitesi
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU)
College of Medical and Health Science
African Population and Health Research Center
Mahidol University
China Medical University Hospital
University of the Free State
KyungHee University College of Medicine
Southern Cross University
Bezmiâlem Vakıf Üniversitesi
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU)
College of Medical and Health Science
African Population and Health Research Center
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Background: In addition to the physical symptoms, long COVID can cause considerable psychological burden. Aims: To investigate the association of long COVID with depressive symptoms, loneliness, perceived social isolation and life satisfaction (also stratified by sex). Methods: Data from the most recent eighth wave of the nationally representative German Ageing Survey was used, encompassing community-dwelling individuals 43 years to 90 years, n = 4,017 individuals in the analytic sample). Psychometrically sound tools were used to quantify the outcomes. Physician-diagnosed long COVID was used as independent variable. Adjusted (weighted) linear regressions with cluster-robust standard errors were used. Robustness checks were conducted. Results: Regressions adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle-related covariates showed that individuals with long COVID had consistently worse psychosocial outcomes compared to individuals without long COVID. However, after additionally adjusting for health-related covariates, only the association between long COVID and perceived social isolation remained significant (β = 0.29, p < 0.001). Stratified by sex, long COVID was significantly associated with higher social isolation scores among women (β = 0.37, p < 0.001), but not among men in the fully adjusted models. Discussion: Even after adjusting for a wide array of covariates, findings suggest that (female) individuals with long COVID have stronger feelings of not belonging to the society (compared to individuals without long COVID). Conclusions: It may be beneficial to find ways to help such individuals feel included in society.