Activities of daily living following Long COVID: An exploratory cross-sectional study

Performance of activities of daily living (ADL) tasks is essential for most people's everyday lives. However, there is limited information regarding which ADL tasks and how their performances are typically impacted among persons with Long COVID.

To explore the types of ADL tasks typically affected and how the quality of ADL task performance is impacted in persons with long COVID and to explore relationships between ADL ability and health-related, social, or personal factors.

This cross-sectional study involved individuals participating in a municipality-based rehabilitation program for persons with Long COVID. Data on ADL ability and health-related, social, and personal factors were gathered.

The sample included n = 30 individuals with Long COVID. The participants reported decreased quality of ADL task performance related to both Personal ADL and Instrumental ADL tasks. A moderate relationship was identified between participants' ADL-I ability measures and ratings of fatigue. None of the remaining health-related, social and personal variables were related to ADL ability.

Individuals diagnosed with Long COVID reported decreased quality of performance in both PADL and IADL tasks, with increased time and effort being the primary issues. The most prevalent symptom, fatigue, was moderately related to participants' ADL ability.