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Symptom, Functional, and Work Participation Profiles Among Racialized Canadians with Pre-Existing Mental Health
Maryam Shahzad1,2, Sana Siddiqui2, Chloe Lau2
1Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1V, Canada.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Long COVID significantly impacts racialized individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions, causing moderate fatigue, functional limitations, and psychological distress. This highlights the need for tailored, equity-informed long COVID care.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- Long COVID presents persistent, multi-system symptoms.
- Limited understanding exists regarding its impact on individuals with intersecting vulnerabilities, specifically racialized identities and pre-existing mental health conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To descriptively characterize the symptom burden.
- To assess functional outcomes in this population.
- To evaluate mental health status.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional, exploratory study involving 51 adults in Canada.
- Participants identified as racialized, with pre-existing mental health conditions and reported long COVID symptoms.
- Online surveys utilized validated measures for symptoms, fatigue, post-exertional malaise, cognitive function, mental health, and disability, with descriptive statistics applied.
Main Results:
- Participants reported moderate symptom burden, particularly in respiratory and psychological domains.
- Moderate functional impairment was observed in work, social, and daily activities.
- Significant fatigue, post-exertional malaise, cognitive difficulties, and mild to moderate anxiety and depression were prevalent.
Conclusions:
- Clinically relevant fatigue, post-exertional malaise, and depression were identified in this cohort.
- Moderate functional limitations across life domains were evident.
- Findings support conceptualizing long COVID as a syndemic condition, emphasizing the need for equity-informed strategies.
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