LONG‑TERM HEALTH‑RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, PHYSICAL FUNCTION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF COVID‑19

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced lasting physical and psychological consequences, often documented only in the short term. This thesis investigated long-term outcomes using original data from previously hospitalized Italian patients and a longitudinal Spanish cohort. The aims were to assess persistent consequences, identify post-pandemic health profiles, examine sociodemographic and clinical risk factors, and capture variability in physical and psychological functioning. Findings showed that low quality of life, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and physical impairments may persist for years after infection. Distinct post-COVID-19 profiles emerged, ranging from preserved to severely compromised health. Female gender, comorbidities, and high early warning scores at admission were associated with worse outcomes. Symptomatic COVID-19 cases displayed greater variability in anxiety and depression than non-infected individuals. Methodological innovations, including Latent Profile Analysis and the study of temporal variability, offered insights beyond mean-level analyses. These results underscore the need for long-term monitoring, multidisciplinary care, and tailored interventions in post-COVID-19 health