The impact of comorbidity burden and age on the health-related quality-of-life of individuals one year after COVID-19 pneumonia

Abstract

Introduction: Assessing the long-term impact of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) on individuals' physical and psychological well-being is crucial, and it is often measured through health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Objective: The research aimed to examine subjective health assessment using the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) tool in subjects one year after COVID-19 pneumonia, and to identify the impact of comorbidity burden (assessed quantitatively by applying the Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI]), and age on the indicators of physical and psychological health domains. Methods: The research was conducted using a telephone survey to evaluate the HRQOL of 170 individuals one year after COVID-19 pneumonia and 20 individuals of the comparison group (CG). Results: The results show significantly lower physical and mental component summary indicators in individuals one year after COVID-19 pneumonia of the Risk Class III and IV severity compared to those who had COVID-19 pneumonia of the Risk Class II severity and CG At the same time, age showed a negative effect on both physical and psychological health indicators. In addition, the general health status of individuals one year after COVID-19 pneumonia in relation to Risk Classes III and IV, as well as Risk Class II with CCI of ≥3 points, was significantly lower vs those who had CCI of 0-2 points. Conclusion: The presence and number of comorbidities and older age are significantly associated with lower HRQOL in individuals one year after COVID-19 pneumonia. Therefore, the prospective monitoring of individuals exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and recognizing the potential factors associated with poor HRQOL is crucial to understanding the long-term impact of COVID-19 and developing personalized strategies for the clinical management of those subjects with the aim of improving their quality of life.