39 million American adults (15 percent of the population) have been affected by symptoms past the acute phase of COVID-19 infection.
January 29, 2024 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu
A study led by health services policy and management assistant professor Nicole Hair and Montana State University professor of economics Carly Urban has revealed that U.S. families whose members experienced persistent COVID-19 symptoms and, to a lesser extent, severe COVID-19 illness, were more likely to encounter economic hardship. The financial impacts varied by socioeconomic status, with lower-income groups hit hardest.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 39 million American adults
(15 percent of the population) have been affected by symptoms past the acute phase
of COVID-19 infection. Approximately three to five million of them are currently living
with post-COVID conditions that limit their everyday activities.
“We are seeing more and more evidence that patients with severe COVID-19 and persistent symptoms face considerable economic consequences even beyond the personal health effects,” Hair says. “Post-COVID-19 conditions can adversely impact the daily functioning needed for activities like full-time, paid employment and caregiving for other family members.”
Nearly six million adult hospitalizations have been reported by the CDC, and these individuals are more likely to suffer job loss. In addition to lost earnings, household finances are further strained by high medical expenses and gaps in caregiving both for sick patients and by patients for other family members. Early studies have suggested that families with low income or fewer resources are more likely to experience severe or long-term health effects – disproportionately burdening this group with more severe economic consequences.
Post-COVID-19 conditions can adversely impact the daily functioning needed for activities like full-time, paid employment and caregiving for other family members.
With this study, Hair and Urban sought to better understand these relationships and their impacts. They analyzed data collected from nearly 7,000 families through the Panel Study of Income Dynamics.
“We found that families headed by an adult with persistent COVID-19 symptoms had increased odds of experiencing economic hardship – regardless of their pre-pandemic financial status – compared to similar families with no history of COVID-19,” says Hair, whose findings were published in JAMA Network Open. “The results also showed that an adult family member’s severe COVID-19 illness was more strongly linked to economic hardship – but only among families with lower income prior to the pandemic.”
When interpreting these findings, the authors note that families with lower income and fewer resources (e.g., savings) to buffer against COVID-19-related financial shocks were also more vulnerable to employment disruptions and earnings losses. Further, these workers are more likely to hold low-wage essential jobs that lack paid leave and face the dual challenge of increased employment-related exposure to COVID-19. Hair and Urban point out that these factors may exacerbate preexisting inequalities and recommend that policy actions help mitigate the household financial impact of post-COVID-19 conditions through changes such as expanded paid sick leave, improved workplace accommodations/safety and wider access to disability insurance.