EMJ Microbiology & Infectious Diseases 6 [Supplement 4] 2025 – European Medical Journal

Report on Patient-Reported Outcome Measures One Year Post-COVID-19 Infection

1.0 Executive Summary

This report examines the long-term health consequences reported by patients one year after a COVID-19 infection. The persistence of symptoms such as fatigue and breathlessness presents a significant public health challenge that directly intersects with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Addressing these long-term outcomes is crucial for developing resilient healthcare systems and ensuring equitable health for all populations.

2.0 Key Patient-Reported Outcomes

One year following initial infection, a significant cohort of individuals continues to experience debilitating symptoms. Analysis of patient-reported data highlights several key areas of concern:

• Chronic Fatigue: Persistent and severe tiredness that is not improved by rest.
• Respiratory Issues: Ongoing breathlessness and diminished lung capacity.
• Neurological and Cognitive Deficits: Including memory loss, difficulty concentrating (“brain fog”), and headaches.

3.0 Alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being

The phenomenon of “long COVID” directly impacts the achievement of SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

1. Target 3.4: The rise of long-term, non-communicable conditions post-infection challenges the goal of reducing premature mortality from NCDs through prevention and treatment.
2. Target 3.8: Achieving universal health coverage requires healthcare systems to adapt by providing accessible and effective services for long-term post-viral conditions, which are currently under-resourced.
3. Target 3.d: Strengthening the capacity for early warning, risk reduction, and management of national and global health risks must now include strategies for addressing the long-term sequelae of pandemics.

4.0 Broader Implications for Other Sustainable Development Goals

The impact of long-term post-COVID-19 conditions extends beyond health, affecting other critical development areas.

• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Chronic illness can reduce an individual’s capacity to work, leading to decreased productivity, job loss, and economic instability, thereby undermining progress toward full and productive employment.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): The burden of long COVID may disproportionately affect vulnerable and marginalized communities with limited access to healthcare, exacerbating existing health and economic inequalities within and among countries.

5.0 Conclusion

Patient-reported outcomes one year after COVID-19 infection underscore a growing public health crisis with significant implications for the Sustainable Development Agenda. A comprehensive response must integrate clinical care for long-term symptoms with public health policies that support economic well-being and reduce inequality, ensuring that recovery efforts align with the principles of SDG 3 and related goals.

Analysis of SDGs in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article’s central theme is the “long-term health effects persisting one year after COVID-19 infection.” This directly relates to SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. The discussion of symptoms like “fatigue” and “breathlessness” underscores the impact on individual health and quality of life, which is a core concern of this goal.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.3: End the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.
   • The article addresses the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, a communicable disease. Combating a disease includes managing its long-term consequences. By focusing on “health effects persisting one year after,” the article highlights the ongoing challenge of the disease beyond the acute phase, which is crucial for fulfilling this target.
2. Target 3.4: Reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
   • The long-term conditions described, such as chronic “fatigue” and “breathlessness,” affect an individual’s well-being. The use of “Patient-Reported Outcome Measures” is a direct method for assessing and promoting well-being, aligning perfectly with this target’s objective.
3. Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.
   • Understanding the full spectrum of a pandemic virus, including its long-term effects, is a critical component of managing global health risks. The research implied in the article—studying outcomes one year later—contributes to a global understanding of the COVID-19 health risk, which informs future preparedness and management strategies.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs)
   • The article’s title, “Patient-Reported Outcome Measures, 1 Year After COVID-19,” explicitly points to this as a key indicator. PROMs are tools used to capture a patient’s perception of their health status and well-being. They serve as a direct measure of the impact of long-term symptoms on people’s lives, which is relevant for tracking progress on Target 3.4.
2. Prevalence and Nature of Long-Term Symptoms
   • The article specifically mentions “fatigue” and “breathlessness” as examples of long-term health effects. An implied indicator is, therefore, the prevalence, severity, and duration of these and other post-infection symptoms within a population. This data is essential for measuring the ongoing burden of a communicable disease (Target 3.3) and understanding the scope of a global health risk (Target 3.d).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: emjreviews.com