Journal article
The Association of Long COVID-19 Symptoms, Physical Function, and Activities of Daily Living Among Older Women
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), Vol.73(6), pp.1711-1721
06/2025
DOI: 10.1111/jgs.19434
PMCID: PMC12205297
PMID: 40062652
Abstract
The impact of COVID-19 on physical function (PF) outcomes among older adults remains unclear. We examined the long-term association between COVID, PF, and Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) among women from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).
Participants from the WHI who completed the COVID-19 survey (2021-2022) and annual survey (2022) were included. Self-reported data on COVID-19 testing and symptoms (2021-2022) were used. PF score and ADLs were evaluated pre- and post-COVID-19 survey by the 36-Item Short Form Survey PF subscale, the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, and the Katz Index of Independence in ADL. Multivariable linear regression and logistic regression were used and adjusted for pre-COVID functioning to examine the association between COVID status, PF, and ADLs. The interaction between pre-COVID functioning and COVID status was tested.
Among the 13,933 WHI participants, 71.4% were aged ≥ 80 years, and 88.6% were Non-Hispanic White. Only 8.7% tested positive for COVID-19 (n = 1210), with 35.1% having long COVID (n = 425). The most common long COVID symptoms were fatigue (18.2%), malaise (12.2%), memory problems (12.1%), and brain fog (11.2%). Women who tested COVID+ had lower PF scores (60 vs. 65, p = 0.045) and were less likely to be able to do all ADLs without help (74% vs. 79.2%, p = 0.015) compared to those who never tested COVID+. After controlling for covariates, post-COVID PF scores did not differ by COVID status (p = 0.30), although pre-COVID PF scores were significantly linked to post-COVID scores (p < 0.001). Similarly, the odds of being able to do all ADLs without any help did not differ by COVID status (p = 0.31), with pre-COVID ADLs significantly associated with post-COVID ADLs (p < 0.001).
In older women, after accounting for pre-COVID functional status, the association between long COVID and lower functioning became nonsignificant. Our findings highlight the importance of preserving physical functioning among older women.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The Association of Long COVID-19 Symptoms, Physical Function, and Activities of Daily Living Among Older Women
- Creators
- Xiaochen Zhang - The Ohio State UniversityChloe Hery - The Ohio State UniversityEric M McLaughlin - The Ohio State UniversityNancy F Woods - University of WashingtonMarian L Neuhouser - Fred Hutch Cancer CenterHolly Harris - Fred Hutch Cancer CenterEmily W Gower - University of North Carolina at Chapel HillJean Wactawski-Wende - University at Buffalo, State University of New YorkAladdin H Shadyab - University of California San DiegoRobert B Wallace - University of IowaElectra D Paskett - The Ohio State University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), Vol.73(6), pp.1711-1721
- DOI
- 10.1111/jgs.19434
- PMID
- 40062652
- PMCID
- PMC12205297
- NLM abbreviation
- J Am Geriatr Soc
- ISSN
- 0002-8614
- eISSN
- 1532-5415
- Publisher
- WILEY
- Grant note
- NHLBI NIH HHS NIH HHS K00CA253745 / NCI NIH HHS U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 03/10/2025
- Date published
- 06/2025
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology; Injury Prevention Research Center
- Record Identifier
- 9984800192702771
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