Publication date: Dec 11, 2025
Long COVID is a major health concern, yet evidence from Southeast Asia remains limited. We evaluated the prevalence, predictors, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impact of long COVID among hospitalized adults in Thailand over two years. This single-center, ambidirectional cohort combined retrospective chart review with prospective follow-up. The cohort comprised 295 adults hospitalized for symptomatic COVID-19 between August and November 2021. Interviews occurred at three months, one year, and two years post-infection. Long-COVID prevalence was 49. 8% at three months; among these, 64. 4% reported persistent symptoms at one year, and 22% of the one-year symptomatic group had symptoms at two years. Common symptoms included breathlessness, fatigue, and memory disturbance. Logistic regression identified severe-critical acute illness as a risk factor (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2. 06, 95% CI 1. 23-3. 46), while full vaccination was protective (aOR 0. 48, 95% CI 0. 25-0. 90). Long COVID was associated with lower HRQoL across all EQ-5D-5L domains. Long COVID was frequent among hospitalized Thai patients, with symptoms persisting in a substantial proportion up to two years. Severity of acute COVID-19 and vaccination status predicted long COVID. Long COVID was linked to reduced HRQoL, underscoring the need for follow-up and further confirmation in larger, multicenter studies.
Open Access PDF
| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| August | COVID-19 |
| November | Long COVID |
| Severe | Prevalence |
| Thailand | Risk factors |
| Vaccination |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | long COVID |
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| disease | MESH | infection |
| disease | MESH | included |
| disease | MESH | breathlessness |
| disease | MESH | fatigue |
| pathway | REACTOME | Reproduction |
| disease | MESH | Tuberculosis |
| pathway | KEGG | Tuberculosis |
| disease | MESH | severe acute respiratory syndrome |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Oxygen |
| disease | MESH | hair loss |
| disease | MESH | muscle pain |
| disease | MESH | chest pain |
| disease | MESH | cough |
| disease | MESH | numbness |
| disease | MESH | joint pain |
| disease | MESH | pain |
| disease | MESH | anxiety |