CDC: U.S. adults with disabilities are more susceptible to long COVID

July 16 (UPI) -- More than a fourth of U.S. adults in 2022 reported having a disability, which increases their potential for contracting long COVID, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control announced Tuesday.

The CDC on Tuesday released its annual Disability and Health Data System update that for the first time includes data on long COVID, which is described as COVID-19 symptoms that last for three or more months.

Adults who reported having a disability were significantly more likely to suffer from long COVID symptoms than those without a disability.

The CDC reported 10.8% of fully or partially disabled adults reported long COVID symptoms versus 6.6% of adults who did not report a disability.

The CDC says people with disabilities or respiratory problems are more susceptible to long COVID than those in relatively good health.

The CDC also says nearly 44% of people age 65 and older reported having a disability, which is the most among any age group.

Nearly 39% of native Americans and those with multiracial backgrounds also reported having a disability.

The CDC says a disability "is not a health outcome" and instead is a "part of the way people experience life, such as hearing, seeing, moving, processing information and caring for oneself."

The CDC provides online fact sheets for each state that indicate the respective percentages and characteristics of adults reporting disabilities in each state.