The cost of primary care consultations associated with long COVID in non-hospitalised adults: a retrospective cohort study using UK primary care data
Authors: Tufts Jake , Zemedikun Dawit T , Subramanian Anuradhaa , Guan Naijie , Gokhale Krishna , Myles Puja , Williams Tim , Marshall Tom , Calvert Melanie , Matthews Karen , Nirantharakumar Krishnarajah , Jackson Louise , Haroon Shamil 
Published: March 2023

Objectives

To assess incremental costs of primary care consultations associated with post-Covid-19 condition or long COVID, to estimate associated national costs for the United Kingdom population, and to assess risk factors associated with increased costs.

Design

A retrospective cohort study using a propensity score matching approach with an incremental cost method to estimate primary care consultation costs associated with long COVID.

Setting

UK based primary care general practitioner (GP), nurse and physiotherapist consultation data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum primary care database from 31stJanuary 2020 to 15thApril 2021.

Participants

472,173 non-hospitalised adults with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were 1:1 propensity score matched to a pool of eligible patients with the same index date, the same number of prior consultations, and similar background characteristics, but without a record of COVID-19. Patients diagnosed with Long COVID (3,871) and those with World Health Organisation (WHO) defined symptoms of long COVID (30,174) formed two subgroups within the cohort with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Main outcome measures

Costs were calculated using a bottom-up costing approach with consultation cost per working hour in pound sterling (£) obtained from the Personal Social Services Research Unit’s Unit Costs of Health and Social Care 2021. The average incremental cost in comparison to patients with no record of COVID-19 was produced for each patient group, considering only consultation costs at least 12 weeks from the SARS-CoV-2 infection date or matched date for the comparator group (from 15thApril 2020 to 15thApril 2021). A sensitivity analysis was undertaken which restricted the study population to only those who had at least 24 weeks of follow-up. National costs were estimated by extrapolating incremental costs to the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 in the UK Office for National Statistics COVID-19 Infection Survey. The impacts of risk factors on the cost of consultations beyond 12 weeks from SARS-CoV-2 infection were assessed using an econometric ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model, where coefficients were interpreted as the percentage change in cost due to a unit increase in the specific factor.

Results

The incremental cost of primary care consultations potentially associated with long COVID was £2.44 per patient with COVID-19 per year. This increased to £5.72 in the sensitivity analysis. Extrapolating this to the UK population produced a cost estimate of £23,382,452 (90% credible interval: £21,378,567 to £25,526,052) or £54,814,601 (90% credible interval: £50,116,967 to £59,839,762) in the sensitivity analysis. Among patients with COVID-19 infection, a long COVID diagnosis and longer-term reporting of symptoms were associated with a 43% and 44% increase in primary care consultation costs respectively, compared to patients without long COVID symptoms. Older age (49% relative increase in costs in those aged 80 years or older compared to those aged 18 to 29 years), female sex (4% relative increase in costs compared to males), obesity (4% relative increase in costs compared to those of normal weight), comorbidities and the number of prior consultations were all associated with an increase in the cost of primary care consultations. By contrast, those from black ethnic groups had a 6% reduced relative cost compared to those from white ethnic groups.

Conclusions

The costs of primary care consultations associated with long COVID in non-hospitalised adults are substantial. Costs are significantly higher among those diagnosed with long COVID, those with long COVID symptoms, older adults, females, and those with obesity and comorbidities.

What is already known on this topic?

Long COVID is a global public health challenge, with millions of people affected worldwide.

People with a history of long COVID use health services, including primary care, at a higher rate than uninfected individuals even beyond the period of acute infection.

The cost of this increased healthcare use is unknown, impeding planning and forecasting of resource requirements needed to adequately support people with long COVID.

What this study adds?

Beyond 12 weeks from acute infection, non-hospitalised adults with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection cost primary care services an additional £2.44 per patient per year greater on average than patients with no prior evidence of infection.

Due to the high incidence of COVID-19, this represents a substantial cost to primary care services, in the UK exceeding £20 million for consultations associated with long COVID.

These incremental costs are greater in those with a formal diagnosis of long COVID, those reporting related symptoms, older adults, females, and those with obesity.