Disparities by social determinants of health: links between Long COVID and cardiovascular disease.

Long COVID has been defined by World Health Organization as "continuation or development of new symptoms 3 months after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, with these symptoms lasting for at least 2 months with no other explanation". Cardiovascular disease is implicated as a risk factor, concomitant condition and consequence of Long COVID. As well as heterogeneity in definition, presentation and likely underlying pathophysiology of Long COVID, disparities by social determinants of health, extensively studied and described in cardiovascular disease, have been observed in three ways. First, underlying long-term conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and its risk factors, are associated with incidence and severity of Long COVID, and previously described socioeconomic disparities in these factors are important in exacerbating disparities in Long COVID. Second, socioeconomic disparities in management of COVID-19 may themselves lead to distal disparities in Long COVID. Third, there are socioeconomic disparities in the way that Long COVID is diagnosed, managed and prevented. Together, factors such as age, sex, deprivation and ethnicity have far-reaching implications in this new post-viral syndrome across its management spectrum. There are similarities and differences compared with disparities for cardiovascular disease. Some of these disparities are in fact, inequalities, i.e. rather than simply observed variations, they represent injustices with costs to individuals, communities and economies. In this review of current literature, I consider opportunities to prevent, or at least, attenuate these socioeconomic disparities in Long COVID and cardiovascular disease, with special challenges for research, clinical practice, public health and policy in a new disease which is evolving.