Long COVID Prevalence, Disability, and Accommodations: Analysis Across Demographic Groups

TL;DR

This study analyzes long COVID prevalence and related work accommodations across demographic groups in the U.S., highlighting disparities in remote work engagement among disabled workers and suggesting alternative workplace accommodations.

Contribution

It provides new insights into demographic disparities in long COVID prevalence and remote work engagement, emphasizing the need for diverse accommodations for affected workers.

Findings

Women, Hispanic people, and minorities are more likely to have long COVID.

People with disabilities are less likely to engage in remote work despite activity limitations.

Disparities persist due to job types not suitable for remote work.

Abstract

Purpose: This paper examines the prevalence of long COVID across different demographic groups in the U.S. and the extent to which workers with impairments associated with long COVID have engaged in pandemic-related remote work. Methods: We use the U.S. Household Pulse Survey to evaluate the proportion of all adults who self-reported to (1) have had long COVID, and (2) have activity limitations due to long COVID. We also use data from the U.S. Current Population Survey to estimate linear probability regressions for the likelihood of pandemic-related remote work among workers with and without disabilities. Results: Findings indicate that women, Hispanic people, sexual and gender minorities, individuals without four-year college degrees, and people with preexisting disabilities are more likely to have long COVID and to have activity limitations from long COVID. Remote work is a reasonable arrangement for people with such activity limitations and may be an unintentional accommodation for some people who have undisclosed disabilities. However, this study shows that people with disabilities were less likely than people without disabilities to perform pandemic-related remote work. Conclusion: The data suggest this disparity persists because people with disabilities are clustered in jobs that are not amenable to remote work. Employers need to consider other accommodations, especially shorter workdays and flexible scheduling, to hire and retain employees who are struggling with the impacts of long COVID.