Round 1 Topic: Long COVID
Rapid Surveys from the National Center for Health Statistics collect timely, relevant data on topics of public health importance. Surveys are conducted several times a year using probability-based commercial online panels. Each survey includes a unique set of questions about different public health topics. Data collection for Round 1 occurred during August 2023.
This page includes estimates in dashboard and table formats. Estimates include the percentage of adults ages 18 and older by attitudes and beliefs about Long COVID, differences in these attitudes and beliefs by experience with Long COVID, and where they would go first to learn more about Long COVID.
| Total | Has had Long COVID or knows someone who has had it | Has not had Long COVID or known anyone who has had it | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent (95% confidence interval) | |||
| At least somewhat agree that Long COVID is a real illness | 82.0 (80.7–83.2) | 89.0 (87.2–90.7) | 78.3 (76.5–80.0) |
| At least somewhat agree that Long COVID can be debilitating and should be taken seriously | 80.2 (78.8–81.5) | 89.3 (87.5–90.9) | 75.2 (73.4–77.0) |
| At least somewhat agree that those with Long COVID may just be depressed | 23.7 (22.3–25.1) | 24.2 (21.8–26.7) | 23.3 (21.6–25.1) |
| At least somewhat agree that Long COVID symptoms are often just the normal aches and pains of life | 20.4 (19.1–21.8) | 18.7 (16.6–21.0) | 21.5 (19.8–23.2) |
| At least somewhat agree that employers should provide reasonable accommodations for people with Long COVID | 72.8 (71.3–74.3) | 81.8 (79.7–83.8) | 67.9 (65.8–69.9) |
| At least somewhat agree that the media and news reports exaggerate the problems that people with Long COVID face | 29.8 (28.3–31.4) | 29.1 (26.5–31.8) | 30.3 (28.4–32.3) |
| At least somewhat agree that Long COVID can be passed from one person to another | 10.7 (9.6–11.8) | 11.7 (10.0–13.6) | 10.0 (8.7–11.4) |
NOTES: All estimates shown meet the NCHS standards of reliability. See technical notes for more details.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, Rapid Surveys System, Round 1, August 2023.
| Total | Talk with a doctor or other health care professional | Talk with family or friends | Get information from CDC | Get information from your state or local health department | Search the internet | Something else | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent (confidence intervals) | |||||||
| Total | 100 | 45.1 (43.8–46.5) | 2.5 (2.1–3.0) | 10.8 (10.0–11.7) | 3.3 (2.8–3.8) | 33.9 (32.6–35.3) | 4.4 (3.7–5.0) |
| Age group | |||||||
| 18–44 | 100 | 38.2 (36.0–40.5) | 3.5 (2.8–4.5) | 12.0 (10.6–13.4) | 3.3 (2.6–4.3) | 37.5 (35.3–39.7) | 5.4 (4.4–6.7) |
| 45–64 | 100 | 48.0 (45.8–50.2) | 1.6 (1.1–2.2) | 9.6 (8.4–11.0) | 2.9 (2.1–3.8) | 33.9 (31.8–36.0) | 4.1 (3.1–5.1) |
| 65 years and older | 100 | 55.7 (53.1–58.3) | 1.5 (1.0–2.3) | 10.0 (8.5–11.7) | 3.6 (2.7–4.8) | 26.7 (24.4–29.0) | 2.5 (1.7–3.4) |
| Gender | |||||||
| Female | 100 | 44.0 (42.0–46.1) | 3.2 (2.5–4.0) | 9.9 (8.7–11.3) | 3.2 (2.5–4.1) | 34.6 (32.6–36.5) | 5.0 (4.1–6.2) |
| Male | 100 | 46.2 (44.4–48.0) | 1.8 (1.4–2.4) | 11.6 (10.5–12.9) | 3.3 (2.6–4.1) | 33.4 (31.6–35.1) | 3.7 (3.0–4.5) |
| Race and Hispanic origin | |||||||
| Hispanic | 100 | 49.6 (45.9–53.3) | 2.1 (1.1–3.6) | 9.9 (7.8–12.3) | 4.6 (3.1–6.4) | 29.6 (26.3–33.1) | 4.3 (2.6–6.5) |
| Black or African American, non–Hispanic | 100 | 48.4 (44.2–52.5) | 3.3 (2.0–5.1) | 13.9 (11.3–16.9) | 5.3 (3.5–7.7) | 23.4 (20.1–27.0) | 5.7 (3.7–8.3) |
| White, non–Hispanic | 100 | 43.8 (42.2–45.4) | 2.4 (1.9–3.0) | 10.6 (9.6–11.7) | 2.4 (1.9–2.9) | 36.7 (35.1–38.4) | 4.2 (3.5–4.9) |
| Other, non–Hispanic | 100 | 41.8 (36.3–47.4) | 2.6 (1.2–4.8) | 9.7 (7.0–12.9) | 3.9 (2.2–6.4) | 38.7 (33.3–44.2) | 3.4 (1.8–5.7) |
| Education | |||||||
| High school degree or GED or less | 100 | 48.6 (46.1–51.1) | 3.0 (2.2–4.0) | 8.0 (6.8–9.4) | 4.1 (3.2–5.2) | 29.3 (27.0–31.6) | 7.0 (5.7–8.5) |
| Some college | 100 | 45.4 (43.0–47.9) | 3.1 (2.3–4.1) | 11.7 (10.1–13.4) | 3.5 (2.6–4.5) | 32.7 (30.3–35.2) | 3.6 (2.8–4.6) |
| Bachelor degree or higher | 100 | 41.1 (38.9–43.3) | 1.5 (1.0–2.1) | 13.2 (11.7–14.7) | 2.2 (1.6–2.8) | 40.0 (37.9–42.2) | 2.0 (1.3–3.0) |
| Household income as a percentage of the federal poverty level | |||||||
| Less than 100% FPL | 100 | 48.2 (43.9–52.6) | 3.2 (2.0–5.0) | 8.7 (6.5–11.4) | 6.5 (4.5–9.1) | 26.5 (22.8–30.6) | 6.7 (4.7–9.3) |
| 100% to less than 200% FPL | 100 | 47.1 (43.7–50.5) | 3.3 (2.1–4.8) | 10.0 (8.1–12.2) | 2.6 (1.6–3.9) | 30.5 (27.4–33.7) | 6.6 (4.9–8.6) |
| 200% and greater FPL | 100 | 44.1 (42.4–45.7) | 2.1 (1.7–2.7) | 11.4 (10.4–12.5) | 2.8 (2.3–3.4) | 36.2 (34.6–37.9) | 3.3 (2.7–4.1) |
| Region | |||||||
| Northeast | 100 | 48.5 (45.1–52.0) | 2.4 (1.4–3.9) | 9.3 (7.5–11.5) | 2.6 (1.7–3.7) | 32.5 (29.3–35.7) | 4.7 (3.0–6.9) |
| Midwest | 100 | 47.4 (44.7–50.1) | 3.0 (2.1–4.1) | 9.8 (8.2–11.7) | 2.8 (1.9–3.9) | 32.9 (30.2–35.6) | 4.2 (3.1–5.5) |
| South | 100 | 42.6 (40.3–44.9) | 2.4 (1.7–3.3) | 11.5 (10.1–13.1) | 3.1 (2.3–4.1) | 35.4 (33.1–37.7) | 5.0 (4.0–6.2) |
| West | 100 | 44.8 (41.9–47.8) | 2.2 (1.5–3.1) | 11.6 (9.8–13.6) | 4.4 (3.3–5.8) | 33.7 (30.9–36.6) | 3.3 (2.4–4.4) |
| Urbanicity | |||||||
| Large central metro | 100 | 46.1 (43.5–48.6) | 2.2 (1.5–3.1) | 10.7 (9.3–12.3) | 4.1 (3.1–5.3) | 33.5 (31.0–36.0) | 3.4 (2.5–4.5) |
| Large fringe metro | 100 | 46.2 (43.2–49.2) | 2.4 (1.5–3.6) | 10.7 (9.1–12.5) | 2.1 (1.4–2.9) | 35.2 (32.5–37.9) | 3.5 (2.3–4.9) |
| Medium and small metro | 100 | 43.7 (41.3–46.1) | 2.8 (2.0–3.8) | 11.6 (10.0–13.4) | 3.7 (2.7–4.9) | 33.5 (31.2–36.0) | 4.7 (3.6–6.0) |
| Nonmetropolitan | 100 | 44.5 (40.8–48.2) | 2.6 (1.6–3.9) | 9.5 (7.4–12.1) | 2.6 (1.6–4.0) | 33.4 (29.9–37.0) | 7.4 (5.4–9.9) |
NOTES: GED = general educational development certificate. FPL = federal poverty level. Percentages may not add to totals due to rounding. All estimates shown meet the NCHS standards of reliability. See technical notes for more details.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, Rapid Surveys System, Round 1, August 2023.
Explore Rapid Surveys System estimates by health topic.
See the technical notes [PDF – 68 KB] for more information on these measures.
Data collected under the Rapid Surveys System are intended to complement and not replace the current household survey systems at NCHS, including the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The Rapid Surveys System approach has a greater potential for coverage and nonresponse bias and smaller sample sizes, thus resulting in lower precision (especially for subgroups). The Rapid Surveys System is particularly well suited for time-sensitive data needs, measuring public health attitudes, developmental work to improve concept measurement, and methodological studies.
Rapid Surveys System data are cross-sectional data based on commercial probability-sampled online survey panels that are supplemented, if necessary, with alternative modes to improve representativeness. Data were collected from 7,599 adult participants this cycle using two panels – AmeriSpeak (conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago) and KnowledgePanel (conducted by Ipsos). Estimates shown in this dashboard are based on data collected in Round 1 of Rapid Surveys, occurring during August 2023. All estimates shown meet the NCHS Data Presentation Standards for Proportions.
Access the Round 1 Survey questionnaire [PDF – 37 KB]
NCHS Rapid Surveys System. Long COVID. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/rss/round1/long-covid.html.