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(CNN) – Surviving COVID-19 is difficult enough for those who become seriously ill from the disease, but getting back to normal is also a struggle, according to new research that found that survivors will likely face financial and health difficulties even months later.
A team of scientists led by Dr. Vineet Chopra of the University of Michigan Health System examined 488 Covid-19 patients treated and discharged from hospitals in Michigan. They were surveyed about two months after their release, between March 16 and July 1.
A third of the survivors reported ongoing health problems, such as coughs, new or worsening conditions and persistent loss of taste or smell, the researchers reported this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Almost half said they were “emotionally affected” by their illness and a small number, 28, sought mental health care after discharge.
Another 36% reported “at least a slight financial impact from their hospitalization.” Of the employees before their illness, 40% said they lost their job or were too ill to return to work. Just over a quarter of those who returned to work reported reduced hours or modified responsibilities.
“For the majority of patients who survived, ongoing morbidity, including the inability to return to normal activities, physical and emotional symptoms, and financial loss, was common,” Chopra’s team wrote.
“These data confirm that the number of Covid-19 victims extends well beyond hospitalization,” the study concluded.
The study had limitations. The survey only covered 488 of more than 1,600 patients whose records were originally tracked. A third of those 1,600 patients died, the researchers reported.
CDC Data: Hospitalization Rates Among Blacks and Latinos About 4 Times Higher Than Whites
Covid-19 hospitalization rates are significantly higher among Black, Latino, and Alaska Native or Native American populations in the United States compared to Asian and white people, new data from the weekly Covid-19 surveillance report shows. from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The data shows that between March 1 and November 7, the hospitalization rate among the Hispanic / Latino population was 444.6 per 100,000 people. The hospitalization rate among Alaska Natives or Native Americans was 430.9 per 100,000. Among the black population, it was 412.2 per 100,000.
The hospitalization rate among Asians or Pacific Islanders and whites was 132.5 and 106.2 per 100,000, respectively, according to the data, which was updated on Friday.
“When looking at overall age-adjusted rates for race and ethnicity, the rate for Hispanics / Latinos was about 4.2 times the rate for non-Hispanic whites,” the CDC report said. “The rates for non-Hispanic American Indians or Alaska Natives and non-Hispanic blacks were approximately 4.1 and 3.9 times the rate for non-Hispanic whites, respectively.”
The data comes from a surveillance system consisting of 250 intensive care hospitals in 14 states, says the CDC.
Since late September, overall weekly hospitalization rates in the United States have risen, driven primarily by an increase in rates among adults 50 and older, according to the CDC.
Additionally, weekly hospitalization rates among children have seen a sustained two-week increase from Oct. 24 to Nov. 7, the CDC said.
This story was first published on CNN.com, “Recovering Covid-19 Patients Struggle to Return to Normal After Hospital Discharge, Study Finds.”
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