Healthcare Resource Utilization (HCRU) and Direct Medical Costs Associated with Long COVID or Post-COVID-19 Conditions: Findings from a Literature Review
Approximately 10–20% of individuals suffering from COVID-19 develop prolonged symptoms known as long COVID or post-COVID condition (LC). This review aimed to assess healthcare resource use (HCRU) and healthcare costs associated with LC. Because LC is not clearly defined and often remains undiagnosed...
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2025-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Market Access & Health Policy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2001-6689/13/1/7 |
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| author | Elżbieta Łukomska Krzysztof Kloc Malwina Kowalska Aleksandra Matjaszek Keya Joshi Stefan Scholz Nicolas Van de Velde Ekkehard Beck |
| author_facet | Elżbieta Łukomska Krzysztof Kloc Malwina Kowalska Aleksandra Matjaszek Keya Joshi Stefan Scholz Nicolas Van de Velde Ekkehard Beck |
| author_sort | Elżbieta Łukomska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Approximately 10–20% of individuals suffering from COVID-19 develop prolonged symptoms known as long COVID or post-COVID condition (LC). This review aimed to assess healthcare resource use (HCRU) and healthcare costs associated with LC. Because LC is not clearly defined and often remains undiagnosed, studies reporting on long-term follow-up of individuals with a COVID-19 diagnosis were also included. Among the 41 publications included, 36 reported on HCRU and 16 on costs. Individuals with LC had significantly elevated HCRU and healthcare costs vs. controls without a COVID-19 diagnosis over ≥15 months, with a 7.6–13.1% increase in total healthcare costs per person per month as assessed by difference-in-difference analysis. Among studies that did not specifically refer to LC, having a COVID-19 diagnosis was associated with a significant 4–10% increase in long-term total HCRU over 6–8 months and a 1.3- to 2.9-fold relative increase in total healthcare costs over 6 months. Due to the heterogeneity of the included studies, high-quality evidence is needed to better understand the economic burden of LC. In the absence of effective treatments, prioritizing the prevention of acute COVID-19, e.g., through vaccination, may be crucial for preventing LC and the associated long-term HCRU and medical spending. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a51ab037e7e5456d9792dbe61336309f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2001-6689 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Market Access & Health Policy |
| spelling | doaj-art-a51ab037e7e5456d9792dbe61336309f2025-08-20T03:43:16ZengMDPI AGJournal of Market Access & Health Policy2001-66892025-02-01131710.3390/jmahp13010007Healthcare Resource Utilization (HCRU) and Direct Medical Costs Associated with Long COVID or Post-COVID-19 Conditions: Findings from a Literature ReviewElżbieta Łukomska0Krzysztof Kloc1Malwina Kowalska2Aleksandra Matjaszek3Keya Joshi4Stefan Scholz5Nicolas Van de Velde6Ekkehard Beck7Clever-Access, 30-415 Krakow, PolandClever-Access, 30-415 Krakow, PolandClever-Access, 30-415 Krakow, PolandClever-Access, 30-415 Krakow, PolandModerna, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USAModerna, 80333 Munich, GermanyModerna, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USAModerna, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USAApproximately 10–20% of individuals suffering from COVID-19 develop prolonged symptoms known as long COVID or post-COVID condition (LC). This review aimed to assess healthcare resource use (HCRU) and healthcare costs associated with LC. Because LC is not clearly defined and often remains undiagnosed, studies reporting on long-term follow-up of individuals with a COVID-19 diagnosis were also included. Among the 41 publications included, 36 reported on HCRU and 16 on costs. Individuals with LC had significantly elevated HCRU and healthcare costs vs. controls without a COVID-19 diagnosis over ≥15 months, with a 7.6–13.1% increase in total healthcare costs per person per month as assessed by difference-in-difference analysis. Among studies that did not specifically refer to LC, having a COVID-19 diagnosis was associated with a significant 4–10% increase in long-term total HCRU over 6–8 months and a 1.3- to 2.9-fold relative increase in total healthcare costs over 6 months. Due to the heterogeneity of the included studies, high-quality evidence is needed to better understand the economic burden of LC. In the absence of effective treatments, prioritizing the prevention of acute COVID-19, e.g., through vaccination, may be crucial for preventing LC and the associated long-term HCRU and medical spending.https://www.mdpi.com/2001-6689/13/1/7SARS-CoV-2COVID-19long COVIDpost-COVID-19healthcare costshealthcare resource use |
| spellingShingle | Elżbieta Łukomska Krzysztof Kloc Malwina Kowalska Aleksandra Matjaszek Keya Joshi Stefan Scholz Nicolas Van de Velde Ekkehard Beck Healthcare Resource Utilization (HCRU) and Direct Medical Costs Associated with Long COVID or Post-COVID-19 Conditions: Findings from a Literature Review Journal of Market Access & Health Policy SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 long COVID post-COVID-19 healthcare costs healthcare resource use |
| title | Healthcare Resource Utilization (HCRU) and Direct Medical Costs Associated with Long COVID or Post-COVID-19 Conditions: Findings from a Literature Review |
| title_full | Healthcare Resource Utilization (HCRU) and Direct Medical Costs Associated with Long COVID or Post-COVID-19 Conditions: Findings from a Literature Review |
| title_fullStr | Healthcare Resource Utilization (HCRU) and Direct Medical Costs Associated with Long COVID or Post-COVID-19 Conditions: Findings from a Literature Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Healthcare Resource Utilization (HCRU) and Direct Medical Costs Associated with Long COVID or Post-COVID-19 Conditions: Findings from a Literature Review |
| title_short | Healthcare Resource Utilization (HCRU) and Direct Medical Costs Associated with Long COVID or Post-COVID-19 Conditions: Findings from a Literature Review |
| title_sort | healthcare resource utilization hcru and direct medical costs associated with long covid or post covid 19 conditions findings from a literature review |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 long COVID post-COVID-19 healthcare costs healthcare resource use |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2001-6689/13/1/7 |
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