Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38309763›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2024

Association of Long COVID with mental health disorders: a retrospective cohort study using real-world data from the USA.

Yue Zhang, Vernon M Chinchilli, Paddy Ssentongo, Djibril M Ba

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
7.8field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. PCE-CfD and Long Covid: An NHS Service Evaluation on the Benefits of Using Person-Centred Experiential Counselling for Depression With People With Long Covid.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025
    Article
  7. Neuroimmune pathophysiology of long COVID.Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences · 2025
    Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Observational
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

  • Commented on by
    2024
5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Yue ZhangDepartment of Public Health Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA ymz5503@psu.edu.ORCID 0000-0001-6875-0025
Vernon M ChinchilliDepartment of Public Health Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
Paddy SsentongoDepartment of Public Health Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1565-5731
Djibril M BaDepartment of Public Health Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
Pennsylvania State University · US

Funding

Penn State Clinical and Translational Science InstituteUL1TR002014 · NCATS · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIV HERSHEY MED CTR · PI KRASCHNEWSKI, JENNIFER L. · 2016 to 2025
$33.7M
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR002014
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesMental health disorders (MHD) rank third for US adult hospitalisations. Given the substantial prevalence of 'Long COVID' in SARS-CoV-2 survivors, this study aims to assess its association with increased MHD risk using extensive real-world data.

designA retrospective cohort study with propensity score matching was conducted. We used the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes to identify individuals with Long COVID status and COVID-19 histories. Multivariable stratified Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was conducted to determine the association of Long COVID status with MHD.

settingData were sourced from the TriNetX database, spanning records from 1 October 2021 to 16 April 2023.

participantsTwo distinct cohorts were established: one comprising individuals diagnosed with Long COVID and another comprising individuals with no history of Long COVID or COVID-19. At the start of the study, none of the participants had a recorded MHD. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome of interest was a composite diagnosis of MHD. Secondary outcomes were individual mental health conditions.

resultsThe study included 43 060 control participants without Long COVID and 4306 Long COVID participants, demonstrating well-balanced distribution across all covariates. After adjusting for 4 demographic factors and 10 comorbidities, Long COVID was associated with MHD (adjusted HR, aHR 2.60; 95% CI 2.37 to 2.85). In subgroup analysis, Long COVID was associated with major depression disorder (aHR 3.36; 95% CI 2.82 to 4.00) and generalised anxiety disorder (aHR 3.44; 95% CI 2.99 to 3.96).

conclusionsIn this retrospective large real-world cohort study, Long COVID was associated with an increased risk of incident MHD. The MHD impact is significant considering the vast number of patients with Long COVID. Enhanced MHD screening among COVID-19 survivors should be a priority.

Indexed as

COVID-19Mental DisordersAdultCohort StudiesHumansMental HealthPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2COVID-19epidemiologic studiesmental healthpost-acute COVID-19 syndrome

Identifiers

PMID38309763
PMCPMC10840030
OpenAlexW4391509331

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.