Predictors of long-COVID recovery and non-recovery in older adults.

Post-COVID-19 (PCC) affects at least 10% of those previously infected with SARS-Cov-2. It can lead to a wide variety of symptoms extending past the 3-month-mark, ranging from cognitive impairment (i.e. deficits in attention and memory), to psychiatric symptoms (i.e. anxiety and depression), and even to chronic diseases (i.e. diabetes). The effects are felt not only by the individual, but by society as well. Those suffering from PCC are less able to work and support their families, leading to a less productive workforce and more financial burden. The impacts of PCC are felt by the healthcare system as well, due to increased usage of primary, physical, and mental healthcare services. The proposed research aims to address current gaps in knowledge regarding recovery from PCC using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Studying on Aging (CLSA), a longitudinal study involving more than 30,000 Canadians aged 45-85 years. Previous research focuses largely on the onset of PCC and its risk factors. However, as there is a shift towards recovery, it is increasingly crucial to look at the factors that affect recovery rate as well. Key factors that will be examined include demographic factors (i.e. age, immigrant status, sex, and gender), social factors (i.e. social connectedness), and medical history factors, (i.e. vaccination status, hospitalization history, and comorbidity loading). The results of this research can be used to inform policy decisions regarding the distribution of healthcare resources, so that the populations most at risk to experience longer lasting effects may be better supported.