1
|
Al-Aly Z, Davis H, McCorkell L, Soares L, Wulf-Hanson S, Iwasaki A, Topol EJ. Long COVID science, research and policy. Nat Med 2024:10.1038/s41591-024-03173-6. [PMID: 39122965 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-03173-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Long COVID represents the constellation of post-acute and long-term health effects caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection; it is a complex, multisystem disorder that can affect nearly every organ system and can be severely disabling. The cumulative global incidence of long COVID is around 400 million individuals, which is estimated to have an annual economic impact of approximately $1 trillion-equivalent to about 1% of the global economy. Several mechanistic pathways are implicated in long COVID, including viral persistence, immune dysregulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, complement dysregulation, endothelial inflammation and microbiome dysbiosis. Long COVID can have devastating impacts on individual lives and, due to its complexity and prevalence, it also has major ramifications for health systems and economies, even threatening progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Addressing the challenge of long COVID requires an ambitious and coordinated-but so far absent-global research and policy response strategy. In this interdisciplinary review, we provide a synthesis of the state of scientific evidence on long COVID, assess the impacts of long COVID on human health, health systems, the economy and global health metrics, and provide a forward-looking research and policy roadmap.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ziyad Al-Aly
- VA St. Louis Health Care System, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
- Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Hannah Davis
- Patient-led Research Collaborative, Calabasas, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Akiko Iwasaki
- Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Eric J Topol
- Scripps Institute, San Diego, California, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tran PT, Amill-Rosario A, dosReis S. Antidepressant treatment initiation among children and adolescents with acute versus long COVID: a large retrospective cohort study. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2024; 18:95. [PMID: 39090638 PMCID: PMC11295664 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-024-00787-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Child and adolescent antidepressant use increased post-pandemic, but it is unknown if this disproportionally affected those who develop post-acute sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID) or long COVID. This study compared the risk of antidepressant initiation among children and adolescents with long COVID with those who had COVID but did not have evidence of long COVID. METHODS Our retrospective cohort study of children and adolescents aged 3-17 years at the first evidence of COVID or long COVID from October 1, 2021 through April 4, 2022 was conducted within Komodo's Healthcare Map™ database. The index date was the earliest date of a medical claim associated with a COVID (COVID comparators) or long COVID diagnosis (long COVID cases). The baseline period was six months before the index date. The outcome was antidepressant initiation within twelve months after the index date. Due to the large number of COVID relative to long COVID cases, COVID comparators were randomly selected with a ratio of 2 COVID to 1 long COVID. We used propensity score matching to control for confounding due to imbalances in the baseline covariates. Log-binomial models estimated the relative risk (RR) of antidepressant initiation in the propensity score matched sample. We conducted several sensitivity analyses to test the robustness of our findings to several assumptions. RESULTS Our child and adolescent sample included 18 274 with COVID and 9137 with long COVID. Compared with those with COVID, a larger proportion of long COVID children and adolescents had psychiatric disorders, psychotropic use, medical comorbidities, were previously hospitalized, or visited the emergency department. In the propensity score-adjusted analysis, the long COVID group had a statistically significant higher risk of antidepressant initiation relative to the COVID comparator (adjusted-RR: 1.40, 95% CI = 1.20, 1.62). Our findings were robust across sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS The increased risk of antidepressant initiation following long COVID warrants further study to better understand the underlying reasons for this higher risk. Emerging evidence of long COVID's impact on child mental health has important implications for prevention and early interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Phuong Tm Tran
- Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, 220 Arch St, 12th Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
| | - Alejandro Amill-Rosario
- Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, 220 Arch St, 12th Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Susan dosReis
- Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, 220 Arch St, 12th Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Oliver G, Yap VMZ, Chalder T, Oliver VL, Gibney KB, Dharan A, Wilson SJ, Kanaan RAA. The challenges of living with Debilitating Symptom Complexes Attributed to Ticks (DSCATT) - A qualitative study. Aust N Z J Public Health 2024; 48:100163. [PMID: 38945055 DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We sought to explore the lived experience of people with Debilitating Symptom Complexes Attributed to Ticks (DSCATT) to inform the development of a potential treatment intervention. METHODS We conducted one-to-one in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 13 people living in Australia affected by DSCATT. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS Although participants attributed the origin of their illness to tick bites, not all were adamant they had Lyme disease. Negative experiences in conventional healthcare were marked and were reported to exacerbate the impact of the illness and affect mental health. Further, these negative experiences propelled participants to seek unapproved treatments (by Australian standards). The desire for the illness to be acknowledged and causative agents identified was pronounced among the participant group. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with DSCATT experience significant challenges amid a contentious healthcare landscape surrounding chronic symptoms attributed to ticks in Australia. Our findings suggest the need for empathetic, supportive and patient-centred treatments for this cohort. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH DSCATT results in a considerable burden across multiple domains for those affected. Negative experiences with healthcare exacerbate the suffering of people with DSCATT in Australia. New approaches that acknowledge the illness experience of people with DSCATT, alongside evidence-based treatments that encompass biopsychosocial models of care, are needed to tackle this debilitating condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgina Oliver
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia.
| | - Valerie M Z Yap
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Trudie Chalder
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Victoria L Oliver
- Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Katherine B Gibney
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Anita Dharan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Sarah J Wilson
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Department of Medicine, Epilepsy Research Centre, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Richard A A Kanaan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Greenhalgh T, Sivan M, Perlowski A, Nikolich JŽ. Long COVID: a clinical update. Lancet 2024:S0140-6736(24)01136-X. [PMID: 39096925 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(24)01136-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Post-COVID-19 condition (also known as long COVID) is generally defined as symptoms persisting for 3 months or more after acute COVID-19. Long COVID can affect multiple organ systems and lead to severe and protracted impairment of function as a result of organ damage. The burden of this disease, both on the individual and on health systems and national economies, is high. In this interdisciplinary Review, with a coauthor with lived experience of severe long COVID, we sought to bring together multiple streams of literature on the epidemiology, pathophysiology (including the hypothesised mechanisms of organ damage), lived experience and clinical manifestations, and clinical investigation and management of long COVID. Although current approaches to long COVID care are largely symptomatic and supportive, recent advances in clinical phenotyping, deep molecular profiling, and biomarker identification might herald a more mechanism-informed and personally tailored approach to clinical care. We also cover the organisation of services for long COVID, approaches to preventing long COVID, and suggestions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Trisha Greenhalgh
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Oxford, UK.
| | - Manoj Sivan
- Academic Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine University of Leeds, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, UK
| | | | - Janko Ž Nikolich
- Department of Immunobiology and University of Arizona Center on Aging, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson, Tucson, AZ, USA; The Aegis Consortium for Pandemic-Free Future, University of Arizona Health Sciences, Tucson, AZ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Greenhalgh T, Darbyshire J, Ladds E, Van Dael J, Rayner C. Working knowledge, uncertainty and ontological politics: An ethnography of UK long covid clinics. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2024. [PMID: 39031491 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9566.13819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Long covid (persistent COVID-19) is a new disease with contested aetiology and variable prognosis. We report a 2-year ethnography of UK long covid clinics. Using a preformative lens, we show that multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) built working knowledge based on shared practices, mutual trust, distributed cognition (e.g. emails, record entries), relational knowledge of what was at stake for the patient, and harnessing uncertainty to open new discursive spaces. Most long covid MDTs performed the working knowledge of 'rehabilitation', a linked set of practices oriented to ensuring that the patient understood and strove to 'correct' maladaptive physiological responses (e.g. through breathing exercises) and pursued recovery goals, supported by physiotherapists, psychologists and generalist clinicians. Some MDTs with a higher proportion of doctors (e.g. cardiologists, neurologists, immunologists) enacted the working knowledge of 'microscopic damage', seeking to elucidate and rectify long covid's underlying molecular and cellular pathology. They justified non-standard investigations and medication in selected patients by co-constructing an evidentiary narrative based on biological mechanisms. Working knowledge was ontologically concordant within MDTs but sometimes discordant between MDTs. Overt ontological conflict occurred mostly when patients attending 'rehabilitation' clinics invoked the working knowledge of microscopic damage that had been generated and circulated in online support communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Trisha Greenhalgh
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Julie Darbyshire
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Emma Ladds
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jackie Van Dael
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Clare Rayner
- Independent Occupational Physician, Manchester, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Burns EJ. Improving the DSM-5 approach to cognitive impairment: Developmental prosopagnosia reveals the need for tailored diagnoses. Behav Res Methods 2024:10.3758/s13428-024-02459-4. [PMID: 38977608 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-024-02459-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
The Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) recommends diagnosing neurocognitive disorders (i.e., cognitive impairment) when a patient scores beyond - 1 SD below neurotypical norms on two tests. I review how this approach will fail due to cognitive tests' power limitations, validity issues, imperfect reliabilities, and biases, before summarizing their resulting negative consequences. As a proof of concept, I use developmental prosopagnosia, a condition characterized by difficulties recognizing faces, to show the DSM-5 only diagnoses 62-70% (n1 = 61, n2 = 165) versus 100% (n1 = 61) through symptoms alone. Pooling the DSM-5 missed cases confirmed the presence of group-level impairments on objective tests, which were further evidenced through meta-analyses, thus validating their highly atypical symptoms. These findings support a paradigm shift towards bespoke diagnostic approaches for distinct cognitive impairments, including a symptom-based method when validated effective. I reject dogmatic adherence to the DSM-5 approach to neurocognitive disorders, and underscore the importance of a data driven, transdiagnostic approach to understanding patients' subjective cognitive impairments. This will ultimately benefit patients, their families, clinicians, and scientific progress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edwin J Burns
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Laestadius LI, Guidry JPD, Wahl MM, Perrin PB, Carlyle KE, Dong X, Gharbo R, Campos-Castillo C. "The dream is that there's one place you go": a qualitative study of women's experiences seeking care from Long COVID clinics in the USA. BMC Med 2024; 22:243. [PMID: 38867247 PMCID: PMC11170900 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03465-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seeking and obtaining effective health care for Long COVID remains a challenge in the USA. Women have particularly been impacted, as they are both at higher risk of developing Long COVID and of facing gendered barriers to having symptoms acknowledged. Long COVID clinics, which provide multidisciplinary and coordinated care, have emerged as a potential solution. To date, however, there has been little examination of U.S. patient experiences with Long COVID clinics and how patients may or may not have come to access care at a Long COVID clinic. METHODS We conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 U.S. women aged 18 or older who had experienced Long COVID symptoms for at least 3 months, who had not been hospitalized for acute COVID-19, and who had seen at least one medical provider about their symptoms. Participants were asked about experiences seeking medical care for Long COVID. Long COVID clinic-related responses were analyzed using qualitative framework analysis to identify key themes in experiences with Long COVID clinics. RESULTS Of the 30 women, 43.3% (n = 13) had been seen at a Long COVID clinic or by a provider affiliated with a Long COVID clinic and 30.0% (n = 9) had explored or attempted to see a Long COVID clinic but had not been seen at time of interview. Participants expressed five key themes concerning their experiences with seeking care from Long COVID clinics: (1) Access to clinics remains an issue, (2) Clinics are not a one stop shop, (3) Not all clinic providers have sufficient Long COVID knowledge, (4) Clinics can offer validation and care, and (5) Treatment options are critical and urgent. CONCLUSIONS While the potential for Long COVID clinics is significant, findings indicate that ongoing barriers to care and challenges related to quality and coordination of care hamper that potential and contribute to distress among women seeking Long COVID care. Since Long COVID clinics are uniquely positioned and framed as being the place to go to manage complex symptoms, it is critical to patient wellbeing that they be properly resourced to provide a level of care that complies with emerging best practices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linnea I Laestadius
- Zilber College of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
| | - Jeanine P D Guidry
- Department of Communication and Cognition, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Megan M Wahl
- Zilber College of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Paul B Perrin
- School of Data Science and Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Kellie E Carlyle
- School of Population Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Xiaobei Dong
- Zilber College of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Raouf Gharbo
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Bergey M. "Pills Don't Teach Skills": ADHD Coaching, Identity Work, and the Push toward the Liminal Medicalization of ADHD. JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 2024; 65:256-272. [PMID: 38279814 DOI: 10.1177/00221465231220385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Despite physicians' near monopoly over medicalization historically, various stakeholder groups shape an increasingly complex process today. This study examines a relatively new initiative, "health coaching," within the context of the changing nature of medicalization. Utilizing 51 in-depth interviews with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) coaches, participant observation from seven ADHD symposia, and ADHD coach publications, I examine coaching's emergence as a partial challenge to medicalization. Findings reveal a field comprised mainly of individuals personally affected by ADHD whose dissatisfaction with institutionalized framings and practices underpins a push for liminal medicalization. Members move between medical and nonmedical discourses to frame ADHD as a paradox of pathology and gift. Additionally, they leverage and commodify personal experience alongside institutional and alternative knowledge into an adjunct or substitute to medication and potential challenge to therapy-one aimed at "self-actualization" versus "treatment." Such efforts highlight (de)medicalization's dimensionality, simultaneous medicalization and demedicalization, and a lay-driven enterprise's role in such processes.
Collapse
|
9
|
Kalfas M, Jolley C, Hart N, Rafferty GF, Duncan EL, Nicholson T, Ashworth M, Brewin D, Barrett B, Witard OC, Ridge D, Chalder T. Exploring the Experiences of Living With the Post-COVID Syndrome: A Qualitative Study. Health Expect 2024; 27:e14108. [PMID: 38898594 PMCID: PMC11186847 DOI: 10.1111/hex.14108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Many people experience persistent symptoms for more than 12 weeks following SARS-CoV-2 infection, which is known as post-COVID-19 condition (PCS) or Long COVID (LC). PCS can impair people's quality of life and daily functioning. However, there is a lack of in-depth research exploring the PCS patient journey, as well as gendered aspects of patients' experiences. METHODS Nineteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with people living with PCS in the United Kingdom (13 women, 6 men). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed inductively using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS Five main themes were identified: 'Symptom dismissal', 'Lack of information and support', 'Life before and after Long COVID', 'Psychological impact' and 'Acceptance'. A shift overtime to self-management of symptoms was evident. These themes represent different stages of patients' PCS journey. Narratives indicated that women highlighted dismissal by healthcare professionals (HCPs), which was not as prominent in men's narratives. In addition, women went into more detail about the psychological impact of PCS compared to men. CONCLUSION Women with PCS reported symptom dismissal by HCPs, which may have delayed their diagnosis and negatively affected their well-being. We were not able to explore the experiences of people from non-conforming gender groups. Raising awareness of these issues among HCPs, particularly general practitioners, could improve patient care in PCS. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION Patient and public involvement consisted of people who took part in the interviews and commented on the themes' interpretation and study conclusions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michail Kalfas
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Caroline Jolley
- Centre for Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, King's College LondonFaculty of Life Sciences & MedicineLondonUK
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation TrustLondonUK
| | - Nicholas Hart
- Centre for Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, King's College LondonFaculty of Life Sciences & MedicineLondonUK
- Lane Fox Clinical Respiratory Physiology Research CentreGuy's & St Thomas's NHS Foundation TrustLondonUK
| | - Gerrard F. Rafferty
- Centre for Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, King's College LondonFaculty of Life Sciences & MedicineLondonUK
| | - Emma L. Duncan
- Department of Twin Research and Genetic EpidemiologyKing's College LondonLondonUK
- Guy's & St Thomas's NHS Foundation TrustLondonUK
| | - Timothy Nicholson
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Mark Ashworth
- School of Life Course & Population Sciences, King's College LondonGuy's CampusLondonUK
| | - Debbie Brewin
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Barbara Barrett
- School of Life Course & Population Sciences, King's College LondonGuy's CampusLondonUK
| | - Oliver C. Witard
- Centre for Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, King's College LondonFaculty of Life Sciences & MedicineLondonUK
| | - Damien Ridge
- School of Social SciencesUniversity of WestminsterLondonUK
| | - Trudie Chalder
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Fisher KA, Mazor KM, Epstein MM, Goldthwait L, Abu Ghazaleh H, Zhou Y, Crawford S, Marathe J, Linas BP. Long COVID awareness and receipt of medical care: a survey among populations at risk for disparities. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1360341. [PMID: 38873310 PMCID: PMC11173587 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1360341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has been characterized by disparities in disease burden and medical care provision. Whether these disparities extend to long COVID awareness and receipt of medical care is unknown. We aimed to characterize awareness of long COVID and receipt of medical care for long COVID symptoms among populations who experience disparities in the United States (US). Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey among a national sample of US adults between January 26-February 5, 2023. We surveyed approximately 2,800 adults drawn from the Ipsos probability-based KnowledgePanel® who identify as White, Black, or Hispanic, with over-sampling of Black, Hispanic, and Spanish-proficient adults. Awareness of long COVID was assessed with the question, "Have you heard of long COVID? This is also referred to as post-COVID, Long-haul COVID, Post-acute COVID-19, or Chronic COVID." Respondents reporting COVID-19 symptoms lasting longer than 1 month were classified as having long COVID and asked about receipt of medical care. Results Of the 2,828 respondents, the mean age was 50.4 years, 52.8% were female, 40.2% identified as Hispanic, 29.8% as Black, and 26.7% as White. 18% completed the survey in Spanish. Overall, 62.5% had heard of long COVID. On multivariate analysis, long COVID awareness was lower among respondents who identified as Black (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.51, 0.81), Hispanic and completed the survey in English (OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.46, 0.76), and Hispanic and completed the survey in Spanish (OR 0.31, 95% C.I. 0.23, 0.41), compared to White respondents (overall p < 0.001). Long COVID awareness was also associated with educational attainment, higher income, having health insurance, prior history of COVID-19 infection, and COVID-19 vaccination. Among those reporting symptoms consistent with long COVID (n = 272), 26.8% received medical care. Older age, longer symptom duration and greater symptom impact were associated with receipt of medical care for long COVID symptoms. Of those who received care, most (77.8%) rated it as less than excellent on a 5-point scale. Discussion This survey reveals limited awareness of long COVID and marked disparities in awareness according to race, ethnicity, and language. Targeted public health campaigns are needed to raise awareness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A. Fisher
- Division of Health Systems Science, Department of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Kathleen M. Mazor
- Division of Health Systems Science, Department of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Mara M. Epstein
- Division of Health Systems Science, Department of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Lydia Goldthwait
- Division of Health Systems Science, Department of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Hiba Abu Ghazaleh
- Division of Health Systems Science, Department of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Yanhua Zhou
- Division of Health Systems Science, Department of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Sybil Crawford
- Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Jai Marathe
- Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Benjamin P. Linas
- Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Sunkersing D, Ramasawmy M, Alwan NA, Clutterbuck D, Mu Y, Horstmanshof K, Banerjee A, Heightman M. What is current care for people with Long COVID in England? A qualitative interview study. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e080967. [PMID: 38760030 PMCID: PMC11107429 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-080967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate current care for people with Long COVID in England. DESIGN In-depth, semistructured interviews with people living with Long COVID and Long COVID healthcare professionals; data analysed using thematic analysis. SETTING National Health Service England post-COVID-19 services in six clinics from November 2022 to July 2023. PARTICIPANTS 15 healthcare professionals and 21 people living with Long COVID currently attending or discharged (18 female; 3 male). RESULTS Health professionals and people with lived experience highlighted the multifaceted nature of Long COVID, including its varied symptoms, its impact on people's lives and the complexity involved in managing this condition. These impacts encompass physical, social, mental and environmental dimensions. People with Long COVID reported barriers in accessing primary care, as well as negative general practitioner consultations where they felt unheard or invalidated, though some positive interactions were also noted. Peer support or support systems proved highly valuable and beneficial for individuals, aiding their recovery and well-being. Post-COVID-19 services were viewed as spaces where overlooked voices found validation, offering more than medical expertise. Despite initial challenges, healthcare providers' increasing expertise in diagnosing and treating Long COVID has helped refine care approaches for this condition. CONCLUSION Long COVID care in England is not uniform across all locations. Effective communication, specialised expertise and comprehensive support systems are crucial. A patient-centred approach considering the unique complexities of Long COVID, including physical, mental health, social and environmental aspects is needed. Sustained access to post-COVID-19 services is imperative, with success dependent on offering continuous rehabilitation beyond rapid recovery, acknowledging the condition's enduring impacts and complexities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Sunkersing
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mel Ramasawmy
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nisreen A Alwan
- Academic Unit of Primary Care and Population Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Donna Clutterbuck
- Academic Unit of Primary Care and Population Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Yi Mu
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Amitava Banerjee
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Melissa Heightman
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Greenhalgh T, Engebretsen E. Pragmatism and crisis: A response to three commentaries. Soc Sci Med 2024; 348:116782. [PMID: 38538379 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Trisha Greenhalgh
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, UK.
| | - Eivind Engebretsen
- Centre for Sustainable Healthcare Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Taylor SA, Smyth NJ. COVID-19 and the Postviral Syndrome of Long COVID: Where We Have Come from and Where We Are Going. HEALTH & SOCIAL WORK 2024; 49:71-75. [PMID: 38587102 DOI: 10.1093/hsw/hlae009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan A Taylor
- PhD, MSW, is professor, School of Social Work, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95819-6090, USA
| | - Nancy J Smyth
- PhD, MSW, LCSW, is professor and associate dean for faculty development, School of Social Work, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Sawano M, Wu Y, Shah RM, Zhou T, Arun AS, Khosla P, Kaleem S, Vashist A, Bhattacharjee B, Ding Q, Lu Y, Caraballo C, Warner F, Huang C, Herrin J, Putrino D, Michelsen T, Fisher L, Adinig C, Iwasaki A, Krumholz HM. Long COVID Characteristics and Experience: A Descriptive Study From the Yale LISTEN Research Cohort. Am J Med 2024:S0002-9343(24)00238-9. [PMID: 38663793 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2024.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The experience of people with long COVID needs further amplification, especially with a comprehensive focus on symptomatology, treatments, and the impact on daily life and finances. Our intent is to describe the experience of people with long COVID symptomatology and characterize the psychological, social, and financial challenges they experience. METHODS We collected data from individuals aged 18 and older reporting long COVID as participants in the Yale Listen to Immune, Symptom and Treatment Experiences Now study. The sample population included 441 participants surveyed between May 2022 and July 2023. We evaluated their demographic characteristics, socioeconomic and psychological status, index infection period, health status, quality of life, symptoms, treatments, prepandemic comorbidities, and new-onset conditions. RESULTS Overall, the median age of the participants with long COVID was 46 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 38-57 years); 74% were women, 86% were non-Hispanic White, and 93% were from the United States. Participants reported a low health status measured by the Euro-QoL visual analog scale, with a median score of 49 (IQR: 32-61). Participants documented a diverse range of symptoms, with all 96 possible symptom choices being reported. Additionally, participants had tried many treatments (median number of treatments: 19, IQR: 12-28). They were also experiencing psychological distress, social isolation, and financial stress. CONCLUSIONS Despite having tried numerous treatments, participants with long COVID continued to experience an array of health and financial challenges-findings that underscore the failure of the healthcare system to address the medical needs of people with long COVID. These insights highlight the need for crucial medical, mental health, financial, and community support services, as well as further scientific investigation to address the complex impact of long COVID.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mitsuaki Sawano
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn; Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn
| | - Yilun Wu
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn; Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Conn
| | - Rishi M Shah
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn; Department of Applied Mathematics, Yale College, New Haven, Conn
| | | | | | | | - Shayaan Kaleem
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anushree Vashist
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn; The College at the University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill
| | - Bornali Bhattacharjee
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn; Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn
| | - Qinglan Ding
- College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind
| | - Yuan Lu
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn; Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn; Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn; Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Conn
| | - César Caraballo
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn; Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn
| | - Frederick Warner
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn; Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn
| | - Chenxi Huang
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn; Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn
| | - Jeph Herrin
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn
| | - David Putrino
- Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | | | | | | | - Akiko Iwasaki
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn; Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Md
| | - Harlan M Krumholz
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn; Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn; Center for Infection and Immunity, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn; Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Conn.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Al-Jabr H, Windle K, Clifton A, Thompson DR, Castle DJ, Ski CF. Patient experiences of the Long COVID-Optimal Health Programme: a qualitative interview study in community settings. BJGP Open 2024; 8:BJGPO.2023.0137. [PMID: 37907337 PMCID: PMC11169993 DOI: 10.3399/bjgpo.2023.0137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long COVID (LC) symptoms persist 12 weeks or more beyond the acute infection. To date, no standardised diagnostic or treatment pathways exist. However, a holistic approach has been recommended. This study explored participants' experiences of a Long COVID-Optimal Health Programme (LC-OHP); a psychoeducational self-efficacy programme. AIM To explore perceptions and experiences of people with LC regarding the LC-OHP and identify suggestions to further improve the programme. DESIGN & SETTING Qualitative study with patients with LC recruited through community settings. METHOD This study is part of a wider randomised controlled trial. Eligible participants were aged ≥18 years, have LC, and attended a minimum of five LC-OHP sessions plus a booster session. We interviewed those randomised to the intervention group. Interviews were conducted by an independent researcher and thematically analysed to identify common, emerging themes. RESULTS Eleven participants were interviewed, mostly women from a White British ethnic group (n = 10). Four main themes were identified, reflecting programme benefits and suggestions for improvement. The programme demonstrated potential for assisting patients in managing their LC, including physical health and mental wellbeing. Participants found the programme to be flexible and provided suggestions to adapting it for future users. CONCLUSION Findings support the acceptability of the LC-OHP to people living with LC. The programme has shown several benefits in supporting physical health and mental wellbeing. Suggestions made to further adapt the programme and improve its delivery will be considered for future trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiyam Al-Jabr
- Primary Community and Social Care, University of Keele, Keele, UK
- Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, St Georges Hospital, Stafford, UK
| | - Karen Windle
- Centre for Applied Dementia Studies, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
| | - Andrew Clifton
- School of Health and Sports Sciences, University of Suffolk, Ipswich, UK
| | - David R Thompson
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - David J Castle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia
- Centre for Mental Health Service Innovation, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Chantal F Ski
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Wild C, MacLean A, Nettleton S, Hunt K, Ziebland S. The double invisibility of Long Covid in children. Soc Sci Med 2024; 347:116770. [PMID: 38493682 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has been dominated by discussions of mild and short-lasting cases or acutely serious or lethal forms of the disease; less attention has been paid to long-term Covid-19 symptoms ('Long Covid'), particularly in children. This analysis of the experiences of children and adolescents with Long Covid, and those of their parents/caregivers, argues that children with Long Covid encounter a 'double invisibility' due to the condition's limited social currency and their status as the youngest members of society. We draw on 39 narrative interviews about children's and adolescents' experiences, conducted in 2021-2022 in the United Kingdom. The occurrence of Long Covid in children challenges key aspects of a dominant pandemic narrative, some of which have persisted from the early stages of the pandemic into 2023. Analysis of our qualitative interviews demonstrates that participant experiences were shaped and undermined by the convergence of three elements of the dominant pandemic narrative: that Covid-19 is mild, and everyone recovers; that children are not badly affected by Covid-19; and that worst of the pandemic was essentially 'over' as early as 2021/2022. In the face of these characterisations of Covid-19 experience, young people and their families reported significant additional challenges in making the illness experiences of children and adolescents visible, and thus in gaining appropriate support from medical and educational professionals. We interpret this in relation to 'social currency' - the extent to which an illness elicits understanding and acceptance by wider society. Children and adolescents with Long Covid struggled to signal the severity of their condition and elicit care in the manner expected for other debilitating illnesses. This was exacerbated by assumptions and stereotypes about unwell children and adolescents, and their parents, and questioning of their candidacy as reliable, trustworthy patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cervantée Wild
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK.
| | - Alice MacLean
- Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Scotland, FK9 4AL, UK.
| | | | - Kate Hunt
- Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Scotland, FK9 4AL, UK.
| | - Sue Ziebland
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Naik H, Tran KC, Staples JA, Perlis RH, Levin A. Psychiatric Symptoms, Treatment Uptake, and Barriers to Mental Health Care Among US Adults With Post-COVID-19 Condition. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e248481. [PMID: 38662370 PMCID: PMC11046346 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.8481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Psychiatric symptoms are reportedly common among adults with post-COVID-19 condition (PCC). However, nationally representative data regarding symptom prevalence, treatment uptake, and barriers to care are needed to inform the development of care models. Objectives To evaluate the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms in US adults with PCC compared with those without PCC and assess treatment uptake and cost-related barriers to treatment. Design, Setting, and Participants Data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationally representative US cross-sectional survey, were analyzed between October 2023 and February 2024. Exposure Current PCC, defined as new symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection lasting more than 3 months and ongoing at the time of interview. Main Outcomes and Measures Depression symptoms were evaluated by the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the General Anxiety Disorder-7 instrument. Participants were classified as having received treatment if they received mental health counseling or therapy or medications for mental health. Sleep difficulties, cognitive difficulties, disabling fatigue, and cost-related barriers were assessed from additional NHIS questions. Results Of the 25 122 participants representing approximately 231 million US adults (median [IQR] age, 46 [32-61] years; 49.8% male and 50.2% female participants), a weighted prevalence (wPr) of 3.4% (95% CI, 3.1%-3.6%) had current PCC. Compared with other US adults, participants with current PCC were more likely to have depression symptoms (wPr, 16.8% vs 7.1%; adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.96; 95% CI, 1.51-2.55), anxiety symptoms (wPr, 16.7% vs 6.3%; AOR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.53-3.19), sleep difficulties (wPr, 41.5% vs 22.7%; AOR 1.95; 95% CI, 1.65-2.29), cognitive difficulties (wPr, 35.0% vs 19.5%; AOR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.66-2.50), and disabling fatigue (wPr, 4.0% vs 1.6%; AOR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.20-2.86). Among participants who had depression or anxiety symptoms, those with PCC had a similar likelihood of not having received treatment (wPr, 28.2% vs 34.9%; AOR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.66-1.57). However, participants with current PCC were more likely to report a cost-related barrier to accessing mental health counseling or therapy (wPr, 37.2% vs 23.3%; AOR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.40-2.98). Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this study suggest that people with PCC have a higher prevalence of psychiatric symptoms than other adults but are more likely to experience cost-related barriers to accessing therapy. Care pathways for PCC should consider prioritizing mental health screening and affordable treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiten Naik
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Post–COVID-19 Interdisciplinary Clinical Care Network, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Karen C. Tran
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Post–COVID-19 Interdisciplinary Clinical Care Network, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology & Evaluation, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - John A. Staples
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology & Evaluation, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Roy H. Perlis
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Adeera Levin
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Post–COVID-19 Interdisciplinary Clinical Care Network, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Toepfner N, Brinkmann F, Augustin S, Stojanov S, Behrends U. Long COVID in pediatrics-epidemiology, diagnosis, and management. Eur J Pediatr 2024; 183:1543-1553. [PMID: 38279014 PMCID: PMC11001657 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-023-05360-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
This review summarizes current knowledge on post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) and post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) in children and adolescents. A literature review was performed to synthesize information from clinical studies, expert opinions, and guidelines. PASC also termed Long COVID - at any age comprise a plethora of unspecific symptoms present later than 4 weeks after confirmed or probable infection with severe respiratory syndrome corona virus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), without another medical explanation. PCC in children and adolescents was defined by the WHO as PASC occurring within 3 months of acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), lasting at least 2 months, and limiting daily activities. Pediatric PASC mostly manifest after mild courses of COVID-19 and in the majority of cases remit after few months. However, symptoms can last for more than 1 year and may result in significant disability. Frequent symptoms include fatigue, exertion intolerance, and anxiety. Some patients present with postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS), and a small number of cases fulfill the clinical criteria of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). To date, no diagnostic marker has been established, and differential diagnostics remains challenging. Therapeutic approaches include appropriate self-management as well as the palliation of symptoms by non-pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical strategies. Conclusion: PASC in pediatrics present with heterogenous severity and duration. A stepped, interdisciplinary, and individualized approach is essential for appropriate clinical management. Current health care structures have to be adapted, and research was extended to meet the medical and psychosocial needs of young people with PASC or similar conditions. What is Known: • Post-acute sequelae of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) (PASC) - also termed Long COVID - in children and adolescents can lead to activity limitation and reduced quality of life. • PASC belongs to a large group of similar post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS). Specific biomarkers and causal treatment options are not yet available. What is New: • In February 2023, a case definition for post COVID-19 condition (PCC) in children and adolescents was provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), indicating PASC with duration of at least 2 months and limitation of daily activities. PCC can present as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). • Interdisciplinary collaborations are necessary and have been established worldwide to offer harmonized, multimodal approaches to diagnosis and management of PASC/PCC in children and adolescents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Toepfner
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Folke Brinkmann
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergology, University Children's Hospital, Airway Research Center North (ARCN), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Luebeck, Germany
| | - Silvia Augustin
- MRI Chronic Fatigue Center for Young People, Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, Technical University Munich and Munich Municipal Hospital, Munich, Germany
| | - Silvia Stojanov
- MRI Chronic Fatigue Center for Young People, Child and Adolescent Psychosomatics, Children's Hospital, Technical University Munich and Munich Municipal Hospital, Munich, Germany
| | - Uta Behrends
- MRI Chronic Fatigue Center for Young People, Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, Technical University Munich and Munich Municipal Hospital, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Sirotiak Z, Thomas EBK, Wade NG, Brellenthin AG. Associations between forgiveness and physical and mental health in the context of long COVID. J Psychosom Res 2024; 178:111612. [PMID: 38367371 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2024.111612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Forgiveness has been positively associated with health in those with functional disorders. This cross-sectional study examined the relationships among dimensions of forgiveness and physical and mental health in individuals with and without long COVID. METHODS Adults (N = 4316) in the United States took part in an online survey study detailing long COVID presence, physical and mental health, and trait forgiveness. T-tests were performed to assess differences in types of trait forgiveness between individuals with and without long COVID. Linear regression models assessed the contribution of demographic covariates and forgiveness subscales to the physical and mental health of individuals with and without long COVID. RESULTS Of 4316 participants, 379 (8.8%) reported current long COVID. Participants were an average age of 43.7, and most identified as female (51.9%), white (87.8%), and non-Hispanic/Latino (86.6%). Individuals with long COVID reported significantly less forgiveness of self (p < 0.001, d = 0.33), forgiveness of others (p = 0.004, d = 0.16), and forgiveness of situations (p < 0.001, d = 0.34) than those without long COVID. Among the long COVID sample, forgiveness of self and situations were positively associated with mental health (p < 0.05), but not physical health (p > 0.05). Forgiveness of others was negatively associated with both physical and mental health (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Forgiveness may be an important consideration in understanding health among individuals with long COVID, emphasizing the importance of developing a multifaceted understanding of the condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Sirotiak
- Iowa State University, Department of Kinesiology, USA; University of Iowa, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, USA
| | - Emily B K Thomas
- University of Iowa, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Owen R, Ashton RE, Skipper L, Phillips BE, Yates J, Thomas C, Ferraro F, Bewick T, Haggan K, Faghy MA. Long COVID quality of life and healthcare experiences in the UK: a mixed method online survey. Qual Life Res 2024; 33:133-143. [PMID: 37740144 PMCID: PMC10784347 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-023-03513-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The complexity of long COVID and its diverse symptom profile contributes to unprecedented challenges for patients, clinicians, and healthcare services. The threat of long COVID remains ignored by Governments, the media and public health messaging, and patients' experiences must be heard through understanding of the lived experience. This study aimed to understand the lived experience of those living with long COVID. METHODS An online web-based survey was designed using Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) to increase understanding of the lived experiences of long COVID, and was distributed through PPIE groups, social media, and word of mouth. The survey used closed and open questions relating to demographics, pre- and post-COVID-19 health quality of life, daily activities and long COVID experiences. RESULTS Within our sample of 132 people living with long COVID, the findings highlight that individuals are being severely impacted by their symptoms and are unable to or limited in participating in their daily activities, reducing quality of life. Long COVID places strain on relationships, the ability to live life fully and is detrimental to mental health. Varying health care experiences are described by participants, with reports of medical gaslighting and inadequate support received. CONCLUSIONS Long COVID has a severe impact on the ability to live life fully, and strains mental health. The appropriate mechanisms and support services are needed to support those living with long COVID and manage symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Owen
- School of Human Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK.
| | - Ruth E Ashton
- School of Human Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | | | - Bethan E Phillips
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Derby, UK
| | - James Yates
- School of Human Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | - Callum Thomas
- School of Human Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | | | - Tom Bewick
- Respiratory Medicine, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, Derby, UK
| | - Kate Haggan
- Respiratory Medicine, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, Derby, UK
| | - Mark A Faghy
- School of Human Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK
- Healthy Living for Pandemic Event Protection (HL-PIVOT) Network, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Au L, Capotescu C, Curi A, Gonçalves Leonel da Silva R, Eyal G. Long Covid requires a global response centred on equity and dialogue. Glob Health Action 2023; 16:2244757. [PMID: 37581581 PMCID: PMC10431739 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2023.2244757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Long Covid, or Post-Covid Conditions, is a global health problem. Yet we know strikingly little about the different experiences of Long Covid patients cross-nationally. To address this shortcoming, we conducted an online survey of Long Covid patients active on social media in the U.S. (n = 334, October to December 2021) and Brazil (n = 144, January to April 2022). Our analysis of short answer responses indicates patient dissatisfaction with medical care provided for Long Covid in both the U.S. and Brazil. For Long Covid patients in Brazil, there were additional concerns raised about the lack of local expertise about their condition. Based on these results, we urge policymakers to expand the education of medical professionals in order to raise awareness of Long Covid. Experts in the Global North should also be encouraged to engage in dialogue with patient groups and experts in the Global South, in order to better understand how local contexts shape the experience of Long Covid.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Larry Au
- Department of Sociology, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Amanda Curi
- Trust Collaboratory, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Gil Eyal
- Department of Sociology and Trust Collaboratory, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Fagen JL, Shelton JA, Luché-Thayer J. Medical Gaslighting and Lyme Disease: The Patient Experience. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 12:78. [PMID: 38200984 PMCID: PMC10778834 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12010078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Even though there are approximately half a million new cases of Lyme disease in the US annually, according to the CDC, it is often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, which can result in a chronic, multisystemic condition. Lyme disease is a recognized public health threat and is a designated "notifiable disease". As such, Lyme disease is mandated to be reported by the CDC. Despite this, both acute and chronic Lyme disease (CLD) have been relegated to the category of "contested illnesses", which can lead to medical gaslighting. By analyzing results from an online survey of respondents with Lyme disease (n = 986), we elucidate the lived experiences of people who have been pushed to the margins of the medical system by having their symptoms attributed to mental illness, anxiety, stress, and aging. Further, respondents have had their blood tests and erythema migrans (EM) rashes discounted and were told that CLD simply does not exist. As a result, a series of fruitless consultations often result in the delay of a correct diagnosis, which has deleterious consequences. This is the first study that addresses an extensive range of gaslighting techniques experienced by this patient population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Fagen
- Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice, Lamar University, P.O. Box 10026, Beaumont, TX 77710, USA
| | - Jeremy A. Shelton
- Department of Psychology, Lamar University, P.O. Box 10036, Beaumont, TX 77710, USA;
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Smith TC. Long COVID: Alice Evans, Brucellosis, and Reflections on Infectious Causes of Chronic Disease. Clin Infect Dis 2023; 77:1644-1647. [PMID: 37462272 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite more than a century of research on the link between infection and chronic diseases, we again find ourselves flummoxed by a new pathogen that causes long-term impairment. Patients have reported being ignored or minimized, resources are lacking for diagnosis and treatment, and frustrated individuals are turning outside of the scientific profession for answers. The experience mirrors that of American Society for Microbiology past president Alice C. Evans. Accidentally infected with Brucella melitensis during her laboratory research, Evans was chronically ill for more than 20 years, during which time friends, colleagues, and physicians cast doubt on her illness. As a result, she argued passionately for improved diagnostics and for those who reported chronic infection to be taken seriously rather than presumed to be "malingering" or using their illness for financial benefit. Lessons from Evans' experience are useful as we work toward understanding long COVID and patients suffering from the condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tara C Smith
- College of Public Health, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Horlick S, Krysa JA, Brehon K, Pohar Manhas K, Kovacs Burns K, Russell K, Papathanassoglou E, Gross DP, Ho C. Exploring Rehabilitation Provider Experiences of Providing Health Services for People Living with Long COVID in Alberta. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:7176. [PMID: 38131727 PMCID: PMC10743286 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20247176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 infection can result in persistent symptoms, known as long COVID. Understanding the provider experience of service provision for people with long COVID symptoms is crucial for improving care quality and addressing potential challenges. Currently, there is limited knowledge about the provider experience of long COVID service delivery. AIM To explore the provider experience of delivering health services to people living with long COVID at select primary, rehabilitation, and specialty care sites. DESIGN AND SETTING This study employed qualitative description methodology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with frontline providers at primary care, rehabilitation, and specialty care sites across Alberta. Participants were interviewed between June and September 2022. METHOD Interviews were conducted virtually over zoom, audio-recorded, and transcribed with consent. Iterative inductive qualitative content analysis of transcripts was employed. Relationships between emergent themes were examined for causality or reciprocity, then clustered into content areas and further abstracted into a priori categories through their interpretive joint meaning. PARTICIPANTS A total of 15 participants across Alberta representing diverse health care disciplines were interviewed. RESULTS Main themes include: the importance of education for long COVID recognition; the role of symptom acknowledgement in patient-centred long COVID service delivery; the need to develop recovery expectations; and opportunities for improvement of navigation and wayfinding to long COVID services. CONCLUSIONS Provider experience of delivering long COVID care can be used to inform patient-centred service delivery for persons with long COVID symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sidney Horlick
- Neurosciences, Rehabilitation and Vision, Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada (J.A.K.); (K.P.M.); (K.R.); (E.P.)
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
| | - Jacqueline A. Krysa
- Neurosciences, Rehabilitation and Vision, Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada (J.A.K.); (K.P.M.); (K.R.); (E.P.)
- Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Katelyn Brehon
- Rehabilitation Research Centre, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada; (K.B.); (D.P.G.)
| | - Kiran Pohar Manhas
- Neurosciences, Rehabilitation and Vision, Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada (J.A.K.); (K.P.M.); (K.R.); (E.P.)
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
- Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Katharina Kovacs Burns
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada;
- Department of Clinical Quality Metrics, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada
| | - Kristine Russell
- Neurosciences, Rehabilitation and Vision, Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada (J.A.K.); (K.P.M.); (K.R.); (E.P.)
| | - Elizabeth Papathanassoglou
- Neurosciences, Rehabilitation and Vision, Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada (J.A.K.); (K.P.M.); (K.R.); (E.P.)
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
| | - Douglas P. Gross
- Rehabilitation Research Centre, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada; (K.B.); (D.P.G.)
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada
| | - Chester Ho
- Neurosciences, Rehabilitation and Vision, Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada (J.A.K.); (K.P.M.); (K.R.); (E.P.)
- Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Cheng AL, Anderson J, Didehbani N, Fine JS, Fleming TK, Karnik R, Longo M, Ng R, Re'em Y, Sampsel S, Shulman J, Silver JK, Twaite J, Verduzco-Gutierrez M, Kurylo M. Multi-disciplinary collaborative consensus guidance statement on the assessment and treatment of mental health symptoms in patients with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). PM R 2023; 15:1588-1604. [PMID: 37937672 DOI: 10.1002/pmrj.13085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Abby L Cheng
- Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Nyaz Didehbani
- Departments of Psychiatry and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Fine
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Talya K Fleming
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute at Hackensack Meridian Health, Edison, New Jersey, USA
| | - Rasika Karnik
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Michele Longo
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Rowena Ng
- Neuropsychology Department, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Yochai Re'em
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sarah Sampsel
- SLSampsel Consulting, LLC, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Julieanne Shulman
- The Arthur S. Abramson Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Julie K Silver
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jamie Twaite
- The Arthur S. Abramson Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Monica Kurylo
- Neurorehabilitation Psychology Services, University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) & Kansas University Health System, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Voss JG, Pinto MD, Burton CW. How do the Social Determinants of Health Impact the Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19: A Critical Review. Nurs Clin North Am 2023; 58:541-568. [PMID: 37832998 DOI: 10.1016/j.cnur.2023.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The review critically analyzes the social determinants of health (SDOH) variables in the current literature of patients with post-acute sequelae (PASC) of COVID-19 in the United States. Race, gender, and age were discussed as well as health outcomes, severity of illness, and phenotypes of long-COVID. Most research was retrospectively with samples that had access to health insurance, which did not capture populations with poor or no access to health care. More research is needed that directly addresses the impact on SDOH on PASC. The current literature is sparse and provides little actionable information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joachim G Voss
- Case Western Reserve University, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Health Education Campus, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
| | - Melissa D Pinto
- University of California, Irvine, Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing, 854 Health Sciences, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Candace W Burton
- University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Nursing, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, Box 453018, Las Vegas, NV 89154-3018, USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Kang L, Li C, Du H. Predictors of Medical Care Delay or Avoidance Among Chinese Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Patient Prefer Adherence 2023; 17:3067-3080. [PMID: 38027085 PMCID: PMC10680038 DOI: 10.2147/ppa.s436794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Medical care delay or avoidance increases morbidity and mortality risk and is costly for the national healthcare system. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with medical care delay or avoidance among Chinese adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the 2020 China Family Panel Study (CFPS). The CFPS was conducted from July to December 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The final sample included 4369 adults. A logistic regression model was employed to identify the factors associated with medical care delay or avoidance. Results The empirical results indicate that regardless of rural-urban residence, older adults and adults with chronic conditions were less likely to delay or avoid medical care during the pandemic. However, individuals who had completed more than three years of college showed a higher likelihood of delaying or avoiding medical care. In urban areas, larger family sizes, greater general trust in physicians, and higher provider structural quality were associated with a decreased probability of delaying or avoiding medical care during the pandemic. In contrast, employed adults were more likely to delay or avoid medical care. In rural areas, current smokers were more likely to delay or avoid medical care during the pandemic. Conclusion This study has identified several factors affecting medical care delay or avoidance, some of which are amenable to policy changes. Policymakers can help improve the utilization of health facilities and patient health outcomes by implementing a series of reforms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lili Kang
- School of Health Management, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Changle Li
- School of Health Management, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huifeng Du
- School of Health Management, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Cheston K, Cenedese ML, Woods A. The Long or the Post of It? Temporality, Suffering, and Uncertainty in Narratives Following COVID-19. THE JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HUMANITIES 2023:10.1007/s10912-023-09824-y. [PMID: 37962719 DOI: 10.1007/s10912-023-09824-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Long COVID affects millions of individuals worldwide but remains poorly understood and contested. This article turns to accounts of patients' experiences to ask: What might narrative be doing both to long COVID and for those who live with the condition? What particular narrative strategies were present in 2020, as millions of people became ill, en masse, with a novel virus, which have prevailed three years after the first lockdowns? And what can this tell us about illness and narrative and about the importance of literary critical approaches to the topic in a digital, post-pandemic age? Through a close reading of journalist Lucy Adams's autobiographical accounts of long COVID, this article explores the interplay between individual illness narratives and the collective narrativizing (or making) of an illness. Our focus on temporality and suffering knits together the phenomenological and the social with the aim of opening up Adams's narrative and ascertaining a deeper understanding of what it means to live with the condition. Finally, we look to the stories currently circulating around long COVID and consider how illness narratives-and open, curious, patient-centered approaches to them-might shape medicine, patient involvement, and critical medical humanities research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katharine Cheston
- Institute for Medical Humanities and Department of English Studies, Durham University, Durham, UK.
| | - Marta-Laura Cenedese
- Department of Comparative Literature, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre Marc Bloch, Berlin, Germany
| | - Angela Woods
- Institute for Medical Humanities and Department of English Studies, Durham University, Durham, UK
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Joffe AR, Elliott A. Long COVID as a functional somatic symptom disorder caused by abnormally precise prior expectations during Bayesian perceptual processing: A new hypothesis and implications for pandemic response. SAGE Open Med 2023; 11:20503121231194400. [PMID: 37655303 PMCID: PMC10467233 DOI: 10.1177/20503121231194400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
This review proposes a model of Long-COVID where the constellation of symptoms are in fact genuinely experienced persistent physical symptoms that are usually functional in nature and therefore potentially reversible, that is, Long-COVID is a somatic symptom disorder. First, we describe what is currently known about Long-COVID in children and adults. Second, we examine reported "Long-Pandemic" effects that create a risk for similar somatic symptoms to develop in non-COVID-19 patients. Third, we describe what was known about somatization and somatic symptom disorder before the COVID-19 pandemic, and suggest that by analogy, Long-COVID may best be conceptualized as one of these disorders, with similar symptoms and predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors. Fourth, we review the phenomenon of mass sociogenic (functional) illness, and the concept of nocebo effects, and suggest that by analogy, Long-COVID is compatible with these descriptions. Fifth, we describe the current theoretical model of the mechanism underlying functional disorders, the Bayesian predictive coding model for perception. This model accounts for moderators that can make symptom inferences functionally inaccurate and therefore can explain how to understand common predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors. Finally, we discuss the implications of this framework for improved public health messaging during a pandemic, with recommendations for the management of Long-COVID symptoms in healthcare systems. We argue that the current public health approach has induced fear of Long-COVID in the population, including from constant messaging about disabling symptoms of Long-COVID and theorizing irreversible tissue damage as the cause of Long-COVID. This has created a self-fulfilling prophecy by inducing the very predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors for the syndrome. Finally, we introduce the term "Pandemic-Response Syndrome" to describe what previously was labeled Long-COVID. This alternative perspective aims to stimulate research and serve as a lesson learned to avoid a repeat performance in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ari R Joffe
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - April Elliott
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Tabacof L, Nicolau E, Rivera A, Putrino D. Post-COVID Conditions and Burden of Disease. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am 2023; 34:499-511. [PMID: 37419527 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmr.2023.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Post-COVID condition (PCC), also known as long COVID, is a multi-systemic illness estimated to affect 10% to 20% of those infected, regardless of age, baseline health status, or initial symptom severity. PCC has affected millions of lives, with long-lasting debilitating effects, but unfortunately it remains an underrecognized and therefore poorly documented condition. Defining and disseminating the burden of PCC is essential for developing effective public health strategies to address this issue in the long term.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tabacof
- Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 5 East 98th Street SB-18, 10029, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Eric Nicolau
- West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, 5718 Merrywing Circle, Austin, TX 78730, USA
| | - Andrew Rivera
- Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA
| | - David Putrino
- Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 5 East 98th Street SB-18, 10029, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Scholkmann F, May CA. COVID-19, post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS, "long COVID") and post-COVID-19 vaccination syndrome (PCVS, "post-COVIDvac-syndrome"): Similarities and differences. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 246:154497. [PMID: 37192595 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide there have been over 760 million confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, and over 13 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered as of April 2023, according to the World Health Organization. An infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can lead to an acute disease, i.e. COVID-19, but also to a post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS, "long COVID"). Currently, the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines are increasingly being noted and studied. Here, we summarise the currently available indications and discuss our conclusions that (i) these side effects have specific similarities and differences to acute COVID-19 and PACS, that (ii) a new term should be used to refer to these side effects (post-COVID-19 vaccination syndrome, PCVS, colloquially "post-COVIDvac-syndrome"), and that (iii) there is a need to distinguish between acute COVID-19 vaccination syndrome (ACVS) and post-acute COVID-19 vaccination syndrome (PACVS) - in analogy to acute COVID-19 and PACS ("long COVID"). Moreover, we address mixed forms of disease caused by natural SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination. We explain why it is important for medical diagnosis, care and research to use the new terms (PCVS, ACVS and PACVS) in order to avoid confusion and misinterpretation of the underlying causes of disease and to enable optimal medical therapy. We do not recommend to use the term "Post-Vac-Syndrome" as it is imprecise. The article also serves to address the current problem of "medical gaslighting" in relation to PACS and PCVS by raising awareness among the medical professionals and supplying appropriate terminology for disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felix Scholkmann
- University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Christian-Albrecht May
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Pollack B, von Saltza E, McCorkell L, Santos L, Hultman A, Cohen AK, Soares L. Female reproductive health impacts of Long COVID and associated illnesses including ME/CFS, POTS, and connective tissue disorders: a literature review. FRONTIERS IN REHABILITATION SCIENCES 2023; 4:1122673. [PMID: 37234076 PMCID: PMC10208411 DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2023.1122673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Long COVID disproportionately affects premenopausal women, but relatively few studies have examined Long COVID's impact on female reproductive health. We conduct a review of the literature documenting the female reproductive health impacts of Long COVID which may include disruptions to the menstrual cycle, gonadal function, ovarian sufficiency, menopause, and fertility, as well as symptom exacerbation around menstruation. Given limited research, we also review the reproductive health impacts of overlapping and associated illnesses including myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), connective tissue disorders like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), and endometriosis, as these illnesses may help to elucidate reproductive health conditions in Long COVID. These associated illnesses, whose patients are 70%-80% women, have increased rates of dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, dyspareunia, endometriosis, infertility, vulvodynia, intermenstrual bleeding, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids and bleeding, pelvic congestion syndrome, gynecological surgeries, and adverse pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, maternal mortality, and premature birth. Additionally, in Long COVID and associated illnesses, symptoms can be impacted by the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. We propose priorities for future research and reproductive healthcare in Long COVID based on a review of the literature. These include screening Long COVID patients for comorbid and associated conditions; studying the impacts of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause on symptoms and illness progression; uncovering the role of sex differences and sex hormones in Long COVID and associated illnesses; and addressing historical research and healthcare inequities that have contributed to detrimental knowledge gaps for this patient population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beth Pollack
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | | | - Lisa McCorkell
- Patient-Led Research Collaborative, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Lucia Santos
- Patient-Led Research Collaborative, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Ashley Hultman
- Patient-Led Research Collaborative, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Alison K. Cohen
- Patient-Led Research Collaborative, Washington, DC, United States
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Letícia Soares
- Patient-Led Research Collaborative, Washington, DC, United States
| |
Collapse
|