Factors Associated With Chronic De Novo Post-Coronavirus Disease Gastrointestinal Disorders in a Metropolitan US County

The first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic surge harshly impacted the medically underserved populations of the urbanized northeastern United States. SARS-CoV-2 virions infect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and GI symptoms are common during acute infection.(1) Post-COVID syndromes increasingly are recognized as important public health considerations.(2) Postinfectious disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBIs; formerly known as functional gastrointestinal disorders) can occur after enteric illness; the COVID-19 pandemic is anticipated to provoke DGBI development(3) within a rapidly evolving post-COVID framework of illness. Here, we evaluate factors associated with DGBI-like post-COVID gastrointestinal disorders (PCGIDs) in our hospital’s surrounding communities comprised predominantly of racial/ethnic minorities and those of reduced socioeconomic status.