A study by the University of Southampton and Oxford reveals a significant relationship between long COVID and socioeconomic deprivation. Analyzing over 200,000 working-age adults, researchers found that individuals from the most deprived areas are 46% more likely to experience long COVID than those in less deprived regions. The research, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, highlights that women exhibit a higher risk, with females in affluent areas facing a risk comparable to males in deprived areas. Notably, healthcare and education sector workers in disadvantaged areas showed the highest long COVID risk. The study underscores the need to consider various social dimensions, including sex and occupation, in public health strategies addressing long COVID. Lead researcher Dr. Nazrul Islam emphasizes that income inequality impacts health outcomes across different occupational groups and calls for targeted public health interventions to support vulnerable populations. The findings aim to inform health policies, ensuring resources are allocated effectively to mitigate health disparities. This research serves as a reminder of the persistent inequalities seen in health outcomes and the need for tailored approaches to address them post-pandemic.
