LONG-TERM PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH EFFECTS OF POST-COVID-19 AMONG STUDENTS AND STAFF SURVIVORS OF THE UNIVERSITIES IN BINH DUONG PROVINCE AND HO CHI MINH CITY

Abstract

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 582 COVID-19 survivors who are students and staff at universities in Binh Duong province and Ho Chi Minh City to evaluate the impact of post-COVID-19 on survivors' physical and mental health. The results showed that 98.5% of participants reported at least one post-COVID-19 symptom. The common physical post-COVID symptoms are cough (64.3%), fatigue (63.6%), shortness of breath in daily activities (60.8%), sputum production (53.3%). Mental post-COVID-19 symptoms were reported more commonly than specific physical symptoms such as memory loss (78.4%), attention disorder (72.3%), sleeping disturbance (53.6%). The linear regression model recorded factors, including recovery time (β = -0.129, p < 0.001), the number of symptoms at infection (β = 0,487, p < 0.001), duration of treatment (β = 0.176, p < 0.001) were positively correlated with the appearance of symptoms after COVID-19; in addition, women have higher post-COVID-19 symptoms than men (β = 0,351, p < 0.001).