After a year of battling COVID-19, doctors and researchers are getting a better understanding of which patients are most likely to experience severe complications from COVID-19 and which ones are most likely to recover. Though people of all ages are affected by COVID-19, it is well-established that risk increases with age, and many of those who develop severe complications after contracting COVID-19 have pre-existing health conditions.
Which Health Conditions are at Higher Risk?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists nearly two dozen health conditions that could put you at higher risk of becoming seriously ill or dying of COVID-19. According to numerous studies, there are four chronic conditions that put individuals at the most risk of severe complications from COVID-19: Obesity, Hypertension, Diabetes, and Heart Disease. A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that among the more than 900 000 people hospitalized for COVID-19 in the US through November 2020, nearly two-thirds (63.5%) were attributable to these four conditions. In other words, these hospitalizations might not have occurred if these conditions had not been present.
How to Lower Risks for COVID-19 Complications
With the clear correlation between health and response to the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s now more important than ever to address your workforce’s risk factors to improve health outcomes in any situation that arises, whether it be a pandemic, an individual health crisis or an accident, or whatever else impacts your members’ health.
Health coaching is effective for people managing a variety of health conditions. According to a study conducted by the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, regular physical activity, correct nutrition, tobacco cessation, and a few other common lifestyle interventions can help mitigate the progression of many chronic conditions and, in certain instances, even reverse existing disease. Health coaching can result in improvements in multiple biometric risk factors, including blood pressure, cholesterol, and body weight. Studies also show that health coaching can improve health-related quality of life and result in reduced hospital admissions.
Through Telligen’s Chronic Condition and At-Risk programs, we identify members who have been diagnosed with a chronic condition or are at risk for developing a chronic condition, and actively engage them to implement lifestyle changes. Telligen Health Coaching is an ongoing, collaborative program between the member and their health coach. Throughout the program, the coach and member will communicate regularly telephonically and through Telligen’s health app to assess needs and set goals.
Contact a Telligen Health & Well-Being Expert Today!
Sources:
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 Hospitalizations Attributable to Cardiometabolic Conditions in the United States: A Comparative Risk Assessment Analysis. (2021, February 25). Retrieved from https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.120.019259
- If You Are at Higher Risk: How to Reduce Risk Infection and What to Do if You Get Sick. (2021, August 13). Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/if-you-are-at-higher-risk
- Association Between Risk Factors for Complications From COVID-19, Perceived Chances of Infection and Complications, and Protective Behavior in the US. (2021, March 31). Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2777973
- Hospitalization Rates and Characteristics of Patients Hospitalized with Laboratory. (2020, April 17). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6915e3.htm
- Impact of Sex and Metabolic Comorbidities on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Mortality Risk Across Age Groups: 66 646 Inpatients Across 613 U.S. Hospitals. (2020, December 18). Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaa1787/6041643
- Three Most Dangerous Underlying Conditions for COVID-19. (2021, February 3). Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2021/covid-underlying-conditions.html
- Clinical Effectiveness of Lifestyle Health Coaching. (2015, June 30). Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1559827615592351