Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Sept 2, 2024 1:48:46 GMT
Long Covid affecting one in seven patients in Bristol area - Published Sept 1, 2024
There are striking inequalities in rates of Long Covid across the country
One in seven patients in some parts of Bristol have Long Covid, and you can now see the figures for your area using our interactive gadget. A new report by Health Equity North has revealed striking inequalities in rates of Long Covid across the country, with a clear North-South divide in the figures.
Their analysis of GP Patient Survey data from 2022 found the North West had the highest number of people reporting Long Covid symptoms (5.5%) followed by the North East and Yorkshire (5.1%). The regions with the lowest rates were the South West (3.4%) and the South East (3.6%), while the rate in London stood at 4.8% - slightly higher than the national average of 4.4% across England.
However, in one Bristol GP practice - Pilning Surgery - one in seven patients (14%) reported having Long Covid.
Long Covid includes physical, cognitive and mental impairments, with brain fog, fatigue, breathlessness, low mood, and depression among the most common symptoms. Across England, 1.9 million people were experiencing a myriad of self-reported Long Covid symptoms as of March 2023, with 79% saying it has had a negative impact on their day-to-day activities.
Fatigue was named as the most common symptom, and over half reported reduced functionality in their everyday activities, which resulted in their inability to return to work.
During the research, one participant said: “At one point, more than once, I was surprised to wake up the next morning.
"I felt like I was having stroke-like symptoms, the pressure in my head. I couldn’t move enough to either call for my children or to reach for my phone to get help. I think I lost consciousness.
"The next morning, I was like, I can’t believe I’m waking up. I wrote my end of life wishes and told my kids what to do if I didn’t make it.”
The report’s findings have prompted calls for more research into Long Covid, and for the Government to implement care plans to facilitate rehabilitation and management of the condition.
Dr Stephanie Scott, lead author of the report and Senior Lecturer in Public Health at Newcastle University, said: “Long Covid is a complex condition that goes beyond physical and mental symptoms, affecting other parts of people’s lives including their sense of self and professional identity. This can then lead to experiences of social isolation.
“Currently, there is little evidence-based treatment for Long Covid and the health system focuses on symptom management. This needs to change.
"Our research has offered a glimpse into the reality of what it is like to live with this often-debilitating condition and the knock-on effects it has on people’s personal and professional lives.
“I hope that the evidence presented in this report cuts through to policymakers and gets the attention it deserves so more research into Long Covid is funded, and so measures can be put into place which enables employers to better support their workforce with Long Covid.”
There are striking inequalities in rates of Long Covid across the country
One in seven patients in some parts of Bristol have Long Covid, and you can now see the figures for your area using our interactive gadget. A new report by Health Equity North has revealed striking inequalities in rates of Long Covid across the country, with a clear North-South divide in the figures.
Their analysis of GP Patient Survey data from 2022 found the North West had the highest number of people reporting Long Covid symptoms (5.5%) followed by the North East and Yorkshire (5.1%). The regions with the lowest rates were the South West (3.4%) and the South East (3.6%), while the rate in London stood at 4.8% - slightly higher than the national average of 4.4% across England.
However, in one Bristol GP practice - Pilning Surgery - one in seven patients (14%) reported having Long Covid.
Long Covid includes physical, cognitive and mental impairments, with brain fog, fatigue, breathlessness, low mood, and depression among the most common symptoms. Across England, 1.9 million people were experiencing a myriad of self-reported Long Covid symptoms as of March 2023, with 79% saying it has had a negative impact on their day-to-day activities.
Fatigue was named as the most common symptom, and over half reported reduced functionality in their everyday activities, which resulted in their inability to return to work.
During the research, one participant said: “At one point, more than once, I was surprised to wake up the next morning.
"I felt like I was having stroke-like symptoms, the pressure in my head. I couldn’t move enough to either call for my children or to reach for my phone to get help. I think I lost consciousness.
"The next morning, I was like, I can’t believe I’m waking up. I wrote my end of life wishes and told my kids what to do if I didn’t make it.”
The report’s findings have prompted calls for more research into Long Covid, and for the Government to implement care plans to facilitate rehabilitation and management of the condition.
Dr Stephanie Scott, lead author of the report and Senior Lecturer in Public Health at Newcastle University, said: “Long Covid is a complex condition that goes beyond physical and mental symptoms, affecting other parts of people’s lives including their sense of self and professional identity. This can then lead to experiences of social isolation.
“Currently, there is little evidence-based treatment for Long Covid and the health system focuses on symptom management. This needs to change.
"Our research has offered a glimpse into the reality of what it is like to live with this often-debilitating condition and the knock-on effects it has on people’s personal and professional lives.
“I hope that the evidence presented in this report cuts through to policymakers and gets the attention it deserves so more research into Long Covid is funded, and so measures can be put into place which enables employers to better support their workforce with Long Covid.”