[Impact of post-COVID-19 conditions on subsequent economic status: A population-based prospective cohort study in Yao City, Osaka, Japan.].

Objective　To examine the association between post-COVID-19 conditions (PCC) persisting for months or years and the subsequent socioeconomic status of individuals infected with COVID-19.Methods　A baseline survey conducted in November 2022 included 13,361 infected individuals aged 18-79 years living in Yao City, Osaka, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between March 2021 and April 2022, along with 13,324 age- and sex-matched non-infected controls. A follow-up survey, conducted between January and February 2024, targeted 7,404 individuals who responded to the baseline survey. Data collected included infection date, disease severity, the presence of PCC (26 symptoms), and multiple indicators of socioeconomic status, including household income, subjective economic status, occupation, employment status, absenteeism, and presenteeism. PCC was defined as symptoms persisting for ≥2 months and still present at 3 months post-infection. The prevalence of PCC was estimated at 3, 6, and 12 months post-infection. Associations between PCC and subjective socioeconomic status were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Absenteeism and presenteeism were also evaluated according to the PCC duration.Results　Of the 7,404 individuals invited to participate, 4,070 responded to the questionnaire, and 2,756 COVID-19 cases (mean age, 43.6 years; 63.5% female) were included in the analysis. The prevalence of PCC was 13.1% at 3 months, 11.0% at 6 months, and 6.2% at 12 months post-infection. Participants with PCC lasting ≥12 months had significantly poorer subjective economic status than those without PCC (adjusted odds ratio: 2.10; 95% confidence interval: 1.48-2.96). However, no significant differences were observed in household income, presenteeism, or other employment-related indicators.Conclusions　PCC persisting for 12 months or longer may negatively affect individuals' perceived economic and employment status despite stable household income. Continued follow-up studies are needed to assess the long-term socioeconomic effects of PCC.