Assessment of Physical and Functional Health Problems among Post-COVID-19 Patients Attending Public Health Institutions in Qaladiza City, Kurdistan Region of Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study

Mohammed Mohammed rasul and Yousif Mohammed Younis

Abstract

Post-COVID-19 patients in Qaladiza City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, continue to face a number of chronic health issues that impact their functional and physical well-being. In addition to examining the sociodemographic and clinical predictors of these health outcomes, the study sought to determine the prevalence and severity of physical and functional health issues among individuals who had recovered from COVID-19. Convenience sampling was used in this cross-sectional study, which was carried out at two public health facilities in Qaladiza City between March 1st and July 1st, 2025. The study employed a standardized questionnaire that asked about demographics, functional health issues, and physical health issues. Stata version 12 (StataCorp LLC, College Station, TX) was used for statistical analysis. Relationships between physical and functional scores were evaluated using Spearman's rho correlation, associations between sociodemographic/clinical factors and health categories were examined using chi-square tests, and predictors of physical and functional health problems were identified using ordinal logistic regression. The study included 150 post-COVID-19 patients, whose mean age was 41.01 ± 13.05 years. The majority (72.0%) were categorized as moderate, with a mean score of 29.31 ± 3.73 for physical problems. The majority (63.3%) were classified as moderate, and the mean functional problem score was 14.71 ± 2.24. Physical and functional scores showed a significant positive connection (r = 0.20, p = .012). According to ordinal regression analysis, a history of chronic disease was strongly linked to worse functional outcomes (p =.002), whereas a lower level of education was significantly linked to worse physical health outcomes (p =.014). The study showed that weariness, joint discomfort, and everyday work challenges are the most common physical and functional health issues experienced by post-COVID-19 patients in Qaladiza. Health outcomes were found to be significantly predicted by education and a history of chronic illness. For post-COVID-19 patients, targeted interventions that target vulnerable populations are advised to enhance rehabilitation and quality of life.