{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T05:48:24Z","timestamp":1782366504738,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782345600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Long COVID is an umbrella term for persistent, relapsing, or newly developed health problems after SARS-CoV-2 infection, whereas post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) refers more specifically to the World Health Organization clinical case definition. Reported prevalence varies substantially because of differences in terminology, operational definitions, study populations, follow-up duration, hospitalization status, and symptom ascertainment. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized global observational evidence on Long COVID\/PCC prevalence and examined major sources of variability.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA 2020 principles. PubMed\/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and the WHO COVID-19 Global Literature Database were searched for studies published from 1 January 2020 to 23 February 2026. Observational studies were eligible if they included individuals with confirmed or probable SARS-CoV-2 infection, reported Long COVID\/PCC or persistent post-COVID symptoms at least 4 weeks after acute infection, and provided numerator and denominator data. Terminology and operational case definitions were extracted separately. Prevalence estimates were pooled using a random-effects model with logit transformation and back-transformation. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q, I\n                      <jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>\n                      , tau\n                      <jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>\n                      , and prediction intervals. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Twenty-two studies contributing 27 prevalence estimates and more than 200,000 participants were included. The primary estimate-level pooled prevalence was 30.8% (95% CI 26.8\u201335.0). Heterogeneity was extreme: Q = 8031.9, df = 26,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt; 0.001; I\n                      <jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>\n                      = 99.7%; tau\n                      <jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>\n                      = 0.252 on the logit scale. The prediction interval was 14.0\u201354.8%. Pooled prevalence was higher among hospitalized cohorts (37.9%, 95% CI 29.5\u201347.1) than among non-hospitalized, community-based, or mixed cohorts (26.2%, 95% CI 22.0\u201330.9). WHO-defined PCC yielded lower prevalence (22.8%, 95% CI 14.3\u201334.4) than broader symptom-based definitions (39.7%, 95% CI 30.5\u201349.5). Cohort-level sensitivity analysis yielded a similar prevalence of 31.0% (95% CI 26.8\u201335.4).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Long COVID\/PCC represents a substantial post-acute public health burden. However, because heterogeneity was extreme, the pooled prevalence should be interpreted as a descriptive summary of heterogeneous observational evidence rather than as a single precise global rate. Standardized definitions, harmonized surveillance, transparent reporting, rehabilitation pathways, and multidisciplinary care models are needed.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1839646","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T05:31:24Z","timestamp":1782365484000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Global prevalence of post-COVID-19 condition (Long COVID): a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Samal","family":"Kassymbek","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Research Institute of Preventive Medicine named after Academician E. 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