Symptom Clusters and Quality of Life in People with Long COVID: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey

Purpose: This study examined the prevalence and severity of symptoms and symptom clusters and the relationship between symptom clusters and quality of life (QoL) in people with long COVID. Methods: This descriptive study analyzed data from 220 adults with at least one symptom of long COVID for at least 4 weeks through an online survey from August 18 to September 5, 2022. Results: The most frequent symptoms of long COVID were fatigue (94.5%), sore throat (89.1%), post-exertional malaise (88.2%), cough (88.2%), and fever (85.5%), and the most severe symptoms were fatigue (6.21±2.31), sore throat (5.78±2.78), cough (5.64±2.84), post-exertional malaise (5.46±2.64), and fever (5.21±2.90). Exploratory factor analysis revealed five distinct symptom clusters: digestive-cognitive, respiratory-fatigue, pain-dermatological, sensory, and emotional clusters. The QoL of the higher-symptom group was lower than that of the lower-symptom group (t=2.34; p=.020). Furthermore, the symptom clusters experienced by people with long COVID were associated with QoL. Conclusion: Healthcare providers must recognize symptom clusters and intervene accordingly, and nursing interventions should be developed to effectively care for individuals in these symptom clusters.