Journal article
Cognitive Impairments in Two Samples of Individuals with ME/CFS and Long COVID: A Comparative Analysis
Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings, Vol.32(3), pp.507-516
09/2025
DOI: 10.1007/s10880-025-10074-4
PMID: 40120036
Abstract
Cognitive impairments, including memory and concentration difficulties, are common in individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and long COVID. These conditions frequently co-occur, but it remains unclear how cognitive difficulties differ between individuals with ME/CFS, long COVID, both, or neither. The purpose of this study was to examine cognitive impairment presence and type for individuals with and without these conditions. Data from the 2022 and 2023 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed. Participants included 27,512 and 29,404 U.S. adults in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Survey weights and variance estimation variables were utilized and multivariate logistic regression models assessed the likelihood of cognitive difficulty, accounting for sociodemographics and shared variance. Participants from both cohorts were primarily female, white, and non-Hispanic/Latine, with an average age of 48.1 years in both cohorts. ME/CFS (aOR 6.18; 95% CI 4.82-7.93; aOR 5.33; 95% CI 4.04-7.05) and long COVID (aOR 2.01; 95% CI 1.67-2.44; aOR 2.16; 95% CI 1.82-2.56) were significantly associated with reported cognitive difficulties, after controlling for the other condition and sociodemographic factors. Individuals with ME/CFS, particularly those with comorbid long COVID, are especially prone to memory and concentration difficulties.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Cognitive Impairments in Two Samples of Individuals with ME/CFS and Long COVID: A Comparative Analysis
- Creators
- Zoe Sirotiak - Iowa State UniversityJenna L Adamowicz - Yale UniversityEmily B K Thomas - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings, Vol.32(3), pp.507-516
- DOI
- 10.1007/s10880-025-10074-4
- PMID
- 40120036
- NLM abbreviation
- J Clin Psychol Med Settings
- ISSN
- 1068-9583
- eISSN
- 1573-3572
- Publisher
- SPRINGER/PLENUM PUBLISHERS
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 03/22/2025
- Date published
- 09/2025
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences
- Record Identifier
- 9984802410302771
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