Nearly one in ten people in England think they might have long Covid but are unsure.

This is according to a new study by the University of Southampton, based on NHS England survey data from 2023.

The research, published in the journal Health Expectations, also found that 4.8 per cent of people reported having long Covid.

The condition is more common among those living in deprived areas, with specific ethnic backgrounds, parents or carers, and those with other long-term conditions.

Long Covid is a chronic condition resulting from Covid-19 infection, with symptoms including fatigue, breathlessness, 'brain fog', and heart palpitations.

The analysis of more than 750,000 responses to the GP Patient Survey (England) 2023 aimed to explore the prevalence of long Covid and the factors associated with both having the condition and being uncertain of having it.

Professor Nisreen A Alwan, co-author of the study, said: "This analysis adds further evidence of the unfairness of long Covid, with people who are already disadvantaged in society more likely to be affected.

"It also shows us that many people aren’t sure if they have it, and may need diagnosis, treatment and support."

The study found that people aged under 25, males, people from particular ethnic minorities, and those without long-term conditions were more likely to be unsure if they had long Covid.

Men are generally less likely to seek medical advice than women, which could partly explain their higher level of uncertainty.

Mirembe Woodrow, a PhD student at Southampton who carried out the analysis, said: "We were really surprised to find so many people weren’t sure whether they had long Covid or not, and the study shows there is still work to do to increase awareness of the condition and remove barriers to accessing diagnosis, treatment and support."

The most recent data from the 2024 GP Patient Survey indicates that long Covid prevalence and uncertainty are not declining, with figures at 5.0 per cent and 9.0 per cent respectively.

The research team plans to carry out further work using the survey to understand what could be driving inequality in prevalence, impact and support for long Covid.