Prevalence and risk factors associated with long COVID symptoms in children and adolescents in a southern province of Vietnam

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with long COVID symptoms among children and adolescents who have recovered from COVID-19. Methods: This study applied a cross-sectional approach within community settings in a southern province of Vietnam. A structured questionnaire featuring socio-demographic information and common long COVID symptoms was employed. Phi correlation coefficients assessed associations among pairs of long COVID symptoms. Additionally, multivariable logistic regression models were performed to investigate the risk factors of long COVID in recovered COVID-19 children and adolescents. Results: Among 422 participants, 39.3% reported long COVID symptoms, with a prevalence of 45.2% (SD=0.5) in children and 22.2% (SD=0.4) in adolescents. Common symptoms reported were cough 34.6% (SD=0.5), fatigue 20.6% (SD=0.4), shortness of breath 10.9% (SD=0.3), and lack of appetite 6.6% (SD=0.3). Concerning risk factors of long COVID, a higher risk was observed among demographic groups, including girls (OR 1.25, 95% Cl 1.15-1.37; P<0.001, reference: boys), children compared to adolescents (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.12-1.37; P<0.001), overweight individuals (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.27; P=0.018, reference: healthy weight), and participants without any COVID-19 vaccination (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.20-1.54; P<0.001), or have received only one single dose (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.10-1.64; P=0.004) compared to those who have received two doses. Besides, patients with a COVID-19 treatment duration exceeding two weeks also had a higher risk of long COVID (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.09-1.60; P=0.003) than those who recovered less than seven days. Conclusions: The insights from this study provide crucial guidance for predicting the factors associated with the occurrence of long COVID in pediatric patients, contributing to strategic interventions aimed at mitigating the long COVID risks among children and adolescents in Vietnam.