What is it about?
In this study of 2,500 mothers of small children, those who were highly stressed were most likely to be diagnosed with Long COVID and to have Long COVID symptoms, even if they had not been officially diagnosed. Women with high stress and those with more than two children also reported more symptoms such as fatigue, memory problems, and shortness of breath. Links between stress and Long COVID were weaker among women who were well-supported by their partner, family, or friends, although this finding was not as strong.
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Why is it important?
Long COVID continues to be a public health concern, particularly for women, who are two to three times more likely to develop Long COVID than men. Most Long COVID research focuses on biomedical risk factors, with little attention to the stress processes and social relationships that may contribute to gender disparities.
Perspectives
Although both men and women with Long COVID symptoms struggle to obtain an official diagnosis, the situation is worse for women. Women's symptoms in general are often dismissed or minimized by health care providers. This study highlights the need for gender-sensitive approaches to Long COVID that take into account the life conditions of people with Long COVID symptoms.
Dr Marci Lobel
Stony Brook University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Stress, social support, and long COVID diagnosis and symptom burden in women., Health Psychology, July 2026, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/hea0001626.
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