Brito, Franciele Aline Machado deLaranjeira, CarlosMoroskoski, MarciaOliveira, Rosana Rosseto deSalci, Maria AparecidaRossoni, Stéfane LeleBaccon, Wanessa CristinaMarques, Priscila GarciaGóes, Herbert Leopoldo de FreitasMello, Fernanda FontesBlaszczak, Flávia Renata Baldissera da CruzVissoci, João Ricardo NickenigAlcaraz, Jesús PuenteFacchini, Luiz AugustoCarreira, Lígia2025-10-022025-10-022025-01-23de Brito, F.A.M.; Laranjeira, C.; Moroskoski, M.; Salci, M.A.; Rossoni, S.L.; Baccon, W.C.; de Oliveira, R.R.; Marques, P.G.; de Freitas Góes, H.L.; Mello, F.F.; et al. Self-Reported Post-COVID Symptoms at 18 Months After Infection Among Adults in Southern Brazil: A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare 2025, 13, 228. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare130302282227-9032http://hdl.handle.net/10400.8/14183This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Health Before, During, and After COVID-19 We acknowledge all the volunteers who made this study possible.Article number - 228Background/Objectives: Currently, there is a limited understanding of the long-term consequences following acute COVID-19, referred to as long COVID. This cross-sectional study aims to analyze the prevalence of persistent signs and symptoms of long COVID, 18 months after primary SARS-CoV-2 infection in adults in southern Brazil. Methods: Using two national databases (the digital registry of SARS-CoV-2 positive cases), 370 individuals living in the state of Paraná (Brazil) were recruited. Data were collected through telephone interviews conducted in 2021 and 2022. Results: The overall prevalence of long COVID was 66.2% among study participants. During the acute phase of infection, the most common symptom clusters included neurological symptoms (87.0%; n = 318), followed by respiratory (82.0%; n = 301), musculoskeletal (66.0%; n = 241), digestive (50.0%; n = 184), psychological (38.0%; n = 138), and endocrine symptoms (28.0%; n = 104). In the 18 month follow-up, the main persistent symptoms were memory loss (42.7%), fatigue (32.2%), anxiety (23.5%), dyspnea (19.7%), and hair loss (19.7%). The proportion of participants with long COVID was statistically higher in females (73.9%), those with a family income below two minimum wages (94.7%), those who do not practice physical activity (83.3%), those who report poor sleep quality (93.3%), those who use long-term medication (85.9%), those who needed health care in the previous six months (87.3%), those who required professional and/or family care (79.3%), those who were in the ICU (79.0%), and those who used ventilatory support (77.5%). Conclusions: Long COVID is a complex condition that requires long-term monitoring and investment in health services due to its high prevalence and the health consequences in the population.engBrazilLong COVIDCross-sectionalSARS-CoV-2Signs and symptomsjournal article10.3390/healthcare13030228