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United States Value:
Percentage of adults ages 18 and older who reported ever testing positive for or being told by a health care provider that they had COVID-19, and reported experiencing symptoms lasting three months or longer
Explore Population Data:
Percentage of adults ages 18 and older who reported ever testing positive for or being told by a health care provider that they had COVID-19, and reported experiencing symptoms lasting three months or longer
Percentage of adults ages 18 and older who reported ever testing positive for or being told by a health care provider that they had COVID-19, and reported experiencing symptoms lasting three months or longer
Percentage of adults ages 18 and older who reported ever testing positive for or being told by a health care provider that they had COVID-19, and reported experiencing symptoms lasting three months or longer
U.S. Census Bureau, Household Pulse Survey
US Value: 26.6%
Top State(s): Vermont: 20.1%
Bottom State(s): West Virginia: 36.9%
Definition: Percentage of adults ages 18 and older who reported ever testing positive for or being told by a health care provider that they had COVID-19, and reported experiencing symptoms lasting three months or longer
Data Source and Years: U.S. Census Bureau, Household Pulse Survey, 09/20/2023-10/02/2023
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, Household Pulse Survey, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2023.
After an individual has been infected with COVID-19, it is possible for them to experience long-term effects from the infection. Post-COVID conditions, also referred to as long COVID, cover a wide range of symptoms including fatigue, fever, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, heart palpitations, headaches, difficulty concentrating (brain fog), sleep problems, changes in taste and/or smell, depression or anxiety, diarrhea, stomach pain, and joint or muscle pain. These symptoms may start with an initial COVID-19 infection or appear at a later time. Even people who did not experience any symptoms from a COVID-19 infection can develop long COVID.
The prevalence of long COVID is higher among:
Vaccination may reduce the risk of developing long COVID. Vaccine clinics and online vaccine connectors have helped distribute more than 834 million vaccine doses in the U.S. as of September 14, 2022. People and organizations across many different areas are working together to increase the number of COVID-19 vaccinations in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 Public Education Campaign is a national program that works to increase public awareness and confidence in COVID-19 vaccines. The effort is driven by communication science and provides tailored information for different audiences, which includes details on COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 6 months and up. The COVID-19 Community Corps outreach program launched in April 2021 and now has over 17,000 members across the country helping to promote the vaccine in their communities.
Research about long COVID is still new and ongoing. Individuals who have gotten COVID can help advance the research by signing up to participate in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RECOVER Initiative.
Sylvester, Shirley V., Rada Rusu, Biankha Chan, Martha Bellows, Carly O’Keefe, and Susan Nicholson. “Sex Differences in Sequelae from COVID-19 Infection and in Long COVID Syndrome: A Review.” Current Medical Research and Opinion 38, no. 8 (August 3, 2022): 1391–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/03007995.2022.2081454.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.