The Experience of Long COVID Among American Indian Individuals in Three Great Plains Communities

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Paper Summary

Conflicts of Interest

Identified Weaknesses

Rating Explanation

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Paper Summary

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Long COVID Impacts Great Plains Tribal Communities: Online Survey Reveals High Symptom Burden

An online survey of American Indian individuals in three Great Plains communities found that long COVID is a significant concern, with a majority of respondents reporting ongoing symptoms months after infection. These symptoms clustered into breathing/muscle/sleep problems, concentration/mood problems, and altered smell/dizziness, with varying sociodemographic associations. The study highlights the substantial ongoing impact of long COVID on these communities.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

None identified. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Identified Weaknesses

Online survey methodology and reliance on self-reporting

The study relied on an online survey and self-reported data, which can introduce biases such as selection bias (only individuals with internet access could participate) and recall bias. This limits the generalizability of the findings and may affect the accuracy of the reported prevalence rates and symptom clusters.

Lack of clinical verification or test-confirmed COVID-19 status

Self-reported COVID-19 infection was not confirmed with testing or clinical data, leading to potential misclassification of both infection status and long COVID status. This weakens the causal inference between COVID-19 and the reported symptoms.

Lack of specific job/task information

Although the study found an association between cognitive symptoms and employment/education status, it did not collect detailed information on job tasks or cognitive demands, which limits a more nuanced understanding of this association.

Limited generalizability

The study focused on three specific Tribal communities in the Great Plains, which may not be representative of other AIAN communities or the broader population. The results should be interpreted with caution when generalizing to other contexts.

Cross-sectional design

The cross-sectional design of the study cannot establish causality or the temporal relationship between variables. It only provides a snapshot of long COVID experiences at a single point in time.

Rating Explanation

The study addresses an important topic with relevant findings, but its methodological limitations, including the reliance on self-reported data and online survey methodology, warrant a moderate rating. The limited generalizability and lack of clinical confirmation of diagnoses also contribute to the rating.

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