The prevalence and nature of communication and swallowing difficulties among adults with long-COVID

BACKGROUND: Long-COVID is an illness which can be experienced after contracting COVID-19, which has affected millions worldwide to date. Long-COVID is characterised by symptoms of COVID-19 which persist 12 weeks post initial onset of the virus and cannot be attributed to a pre-existing diagnosis. In the acute phase of COVID-19, swallowing and communication difficulties are common, however, to date, no studies have investigated the specific effects of Long-COVID on communication and swallowing. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, nature, and severity of communication and swallowing difficulties in adults with Long-COVID. METHODS: This online cross-sectional design survey was hosted via Qualtrics. Adults living with Long-COVID were recruited via online social media to complete a 16-item anonymous survey regarding the prevalence, nature, and severity of communication and swallowing difficulties associated with Long-COVID. The data was quantitatively analyzed using SPSS, with thematic analysis used for qualitative data. RESULTS: 108 participants completed the survey. 79 of these individuals were eligible for inclusion in analysis, with 96.67% reporting communication difficulties, and 73.42% reporting swallowing difficulties as a result of Long-COVID. The nature of the difficulties experienced by adults with Long-COVID varied. The majority of the participants found their difficulties to be moderate in severity. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of communication and swallowing difficulties among adults with Long-COVID, which vary in nature and severity. The high prevalence of communication and swallowing difficulties experienced by individuals with Long-COVID indicates the need for further research into the MDT identification and management of these difficulties, with particular involvement of SLTs in care provision and research, to promote well-being and recovery where possible.