While COVID-19 was initially understood as an acute respiratory illness, its long-term consequences are proving far more complex—especially for people living with chronic conditions. Emerging evidence shows that the pandemic has reshaped disease patterns and intensified existing health disparities.

Tim Duong, Ph.D., and colleagues at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System analyzed electronic health records from Montefiore to examine how the pandemic affected chronic diseases, particularly asthma, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Their findings, published across multiple peer-reviewed journals, draw on both inpatient and outpatient data.

In a study published February 24 in Scientific Reports, researchers examined asthma outcomes using data from March 2018 to February 2024. They found that exacerbations declined early in the pandemic—likely due to reduced environmental exposures associated with COVID-19—but later rebounded. Socioeconomic disparities widened transiently, with higher risks among patients facing unmet social needs, lower income, and Medicaid coverage.

Findings published March 13 in the Journal of Human Hypertension showed that average blood pressure at the population level rose during the pandemic and remained elevated for an extended period before gradually returning to baseline. Based on outpatient data from January 2017 to August 2024, the analysis revealed differing trajectories with increases more pronounced among individuals living in lower socioeconomic communities, pointing to temporarily widening cardiovascular disparities linked to pandemic-related disruptions.

Most recently, results reported in April 2026 in Lancet eBioMedicine tracked patients from March 2020 to February 2025 and found that individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 experienced a sustained increase in recurrent COPD exacerbations lasting years after infection. In contrast, non-hospitalized patients did not show a similar long-term pattern. Differences associated with social determinants of health were also identified, with higher risks observed among patients with unmet social needs or public insurance, underscoring the need for ongoing pulmonary monitoring and targeted support.

Dr. Duong is professor and vice chair of radiology, and the associate director in integrative imaging & data science in the Center for Health & Data Innovation.