How Vaccination Status and Pre-existing Conditions are Associated with the Development of Long COVID
Year of Publication
2024
College
Public Health
Date Available
12-12-2026
Degree Name
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
Advisor
Benji Bryant
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Objective: The objective of this study is to examine whether the number of COVID-19 vaccines received offers added protection against the development of long COVID.
Methods: Data was sourced from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey. After cleaning the data, the resulting study sample was 51,356. Raw counts and weighted percents were recorded for demographic, pre-existing condition, and vaccine variables. Logistic regression analyses were performed to obtain unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Chi-square tests were also performed to examine the significance of associations between variables. The significance level for all p-values was set at .0001 or less.
Results: All demographic variables were similarly distributed among those who only had COVID-19 and those who developed long COVID. This also applied to pre-existing conditions except for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, as these were more common among those with long COVID (16.83% and 9.67%, respectively) than those with only COVID-19 (9.29% and 4.80%, respectively). Rates of vaccination uptake were similar for both groups as well. However, the majority of those who reported any pre-existing condition received two or more vaccinations. Initial odds ratios had shown greater protection against long COVID with each additional vaccine received (1 vaccine: 1.13 [0.92 to 1.37]; 4 or more vaccines: 0.66 [0.56 to 0.77]). However, after adjusting for demographic variables, an inverse relationship was revealed where there was less protection against long COVID with each additional vaccine received (1 vaccine: 0.98 [0.78 to 1.20]; 4 or more vaccines: 1.32 [1.08 to 1.61]).
Conclusions: After adjusting for all demographic variables, each additional COVID-19 vaccine received did not provide added protection against long COVID.
Keywords: Long COVID, COVID, COVID-19, BRFSS, Vaccine, COVID vaccination
Recommended Citation
Bosse, Reagan, "How Vaccination Status and Pre-existing Conditions are Associated with the Development of Long COVID" (2024). Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.). 450.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cph_etds/450
