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Cooper E, Lound A, Atchison CJ, Whitaker M, Eccles C, Cooke GS, Elliott P, Ward H. Awareness and perceptions of Long COVID among people in the REACT programme: Early insights from a pilot interview study. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280943. [PMID: 36701357 PMCID: PMC9879384 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long COVID is a patient-made term describing new or persistent symptoms experienced following SARS-CoV-2 infection. The Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission-Long COVID (REACT-LC) study aims to understand variation in experiences following infection, and to identify biological, social, and environmental factors associated with Long COVID. We undertook a pilot interview study to inform the design, recruitment approach, and topic guide for the REACT-LC qualitative study. We sought to gain initial insights into the experience and attribution of new or persistent symptoms and the awareness or perceived applicability of the term Long COVID. METHODS People were invited to REACT-LC assessment centres if they had taken part in REACT, a random community-based prevalence study, and had a documented history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We invited people from REACT-LC assessment centres who had reported experiencing persistent symptoms for more than 12 weeks to take part in an interview. We conducted face to face and online semi-structured interviews which were transcribed and analysed using Thematic Analysis. RESULTS We interviewed 13 participants (6 female, 7 male, median age 31). Participants reported a wide variation in both new and persistent symptoms which were often fluctuating or unpredictable in nature. Some participants were confident about the link between their persistent symptoms and COVID-19; however, others were unclear about the underlying cause of symptoms or felt that the impact of public health measures (such as lockdowns) played a role. We found differences in awareness and perceived applicability of the term Long COVID. CONCLUSION This pilot has informed the design, recruitment approach and topic guide for our qualitative study. It offers preliminary insights into the varied experiences of people living with persistent symptoms including differences in symptom attribution and perceived applicability of the term Long COVID. This variation shows the value of recruiting from a nationally representative sample of participants who are experiencing persistent symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Cooper
- Patient Experience Research Centre, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Adam Lound
- Patient Experience Research Centre, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christina J. Atchison
- Patient Experience Research Centre, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Whitaker
- School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Eccles
- REACT-Long Covid Public Advisory Group, Patient Experience Research Centre, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Graham S. Cooke
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Elliott
- School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Ward
- Patient Experience Research Centre, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Elran-Barak R, Lewis YD, Schifter T. Women's perspectives toward their nutritional counseling for eating disorders: a qualitative internet-based study in Israel. Health Care Women Int 2021; 43:219-238. [PMID: 34403324 DOI: 10.1080/07399332.2021.1917580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Nutritional counseling is a central part of eating disorder (ED) treatment. However, the nature of this treatment has not yet been described from women's perspectives. We conducted two studies exploring views of women regarding their ED nutritional counseling. In the first study, we used content analysis to reveal practices that registered dietitians (RDs) use in ED treatment. In the second study, we used phenomenological analysis to explore the nature of the client-dietitian collaboration. Data included 1,897 posts and 8,673 responses from 414 distinct female users, retrieved from a moderated ED Internet community website in Israel. Content analysis demonstrated six practices used by RDs: meal planning, weight monitoring, health assessment/consultation, establishing rapports, food logs, joint eating. Phenomenological analysis produced four positions demonstrating client-dietitian collaborations: "Silent dialogue," "Cancelation and deception," "Tough love," "Containment." Findings revealed women's efforts to continue treatment despite their ambivalence about goals and recovery, and RDs' efforts to help women, despite the women's ambivalence, to move forward toward recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yael Doreen Lewis
- Shalvata Mental Health Center, Hod Hasharon, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tami Schifter
- Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Ramat Gan, Israel
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Elran-Barak R. Analyses of posts written in online eating disorder and depression/anxiety moderated communities: Emotional and informational communication before and during the COVID-19 outbreak. Internet Interv 2021; 26:100438. [PMID: 34401396 PMCID: PMC8353348 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2021.100438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Moderated online health communities (OHCs) are digital platforms that provide a means for patients with similar medical conditions to communicate with each other under the supervision of healthcare professionals. AIMS To examine the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on content and type of posts published in two moderated OHCs - eating disorders and depression/anxiety - by comparing categorizations of posts written before vs. after the lockdown, and about vs. not about the pandemic. METHODS Posts were retrieved from Camoni, the first Israeli medical social network (January-June 2017, March-May 2020). A total of 1475 posts were analyzed. Of them, 802 posts were written before and 680 were written during the first lockdown. Posts were divided into two main categories: informational and emotional, and into fourteen subcategories. RESULTS Before the pandemic, the eating disorders OHC was characterized as primarily emotional (emotional: 66.7%, informational: 45.4%) and the depression/anxiety OHC as primarily informational (emotional: 49.8%, informational: 65.8%) (χ2 = 31.6, p < 0.001). During the lockdown, there was a transition in the eating disorders community, from primarily emotional to primarily informational communication (emotional: 46.1%, informational: 71.7%) (χ2 = 30.3, p < 0.001). In both OHCs, only about one in six posts written during the lockdown was related to the pandemic. There were only minimal differences in subcategorization of posts written before vs. after the outbreak (e.g., searching for medical information was more common during the pandemic: χ2 = 40.9, p < 0.001), as well as about vs. not about the pandemic (e.g., sharing negative emotions was more common when writing about the pandemic: χ2 = 4.1, p = 0.43). CONCLUSION During the first lockdown, people with eating disorders have increased their use of OHCs as sources of informational (as opposed to emotional) support, but the overall impact of the pandemic on the content of posts written in the examined OHCs was minimal, suggesting that OHCs have not changed their function as a valuable means of providing emotional and informational support for people with mental difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roni Elran-Barak
- University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave. Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel
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Elran-Barak R, Barak A, Cohen-Ashkenazi S, Schifter T. Barriers to hospital admission among people with eating disorders: A qualitative internet-based study. Int J Ment Health Nurs 2018; 27:1784-1792. [PMID: 29869827 DOI: 10.1111/inm.12485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We seek to describe the barriers that people with eating disorders (EDs) face when undertaking a decision about whether to be admitted for inpatient treatment. Data were retrieved from a moderated ED Internet community website. A descriptive phenomenological approach was used to explore the shared experiences of community members who posted information about their viewpoints on inpatient admission. Three themes emerged: (i) 'Can I let others help me?' addressed the question of participants' ability to cooperate with hospital staff; (ii) 'Can I give up my daily routine?' focused on participants' meaningful lives outside of their ED (school, work, family, friends); and (iii) 'Can inpatient treatment work?' revealed a general lack of faith in the ability of inpatient treatment to make a substantial positive contribution. Our findings highlight the difficulties associated with making a decision about inpatient admission and suggest implications for mental-health professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adi Barak
- School of Social Work, University of Bar-Ilan, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | | | - Tamar Schifter
- Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Ramat-Gan, Israel
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Meade O, Buchanan H, Coulson N. The use of an online support group for neuromuscular disorders: a thematic analysis of message postings. Disabil Rehabil 2017; 40:2300-2310. [PMID: 28592203 DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2017.1334239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE People affected by neuromuscular disorders can experience adverse psychosocial consequences and difficulties accessing information and support. Online support groups provide new opportunities for peer support. The aim of this study was to understand how contributors used the message board function of a newly available neuromuscular disorders online support group. METHODS Message postings (n = 1951) from the first five months of the message board of a newly formed online support group for neuromuscular disorders hosted by a charitable organization were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS Members created a sense of community through disclosing personal information, connecting with people with similar illness experiences or interests, welcoming others and sharing aspirations for the development of a resourceful community. Experiences, emotional reactions and support were shared in relation to: delayed diagnosis; symptom interpretation; illness management and progression; the isolating impact of rare disorders; and the influence of social and political factors on illness experiences. CONCLUSIONS This study provided a novel insight into individuals' experiences of accessing a newly available online support group for rare conditions hosted by a charitable organization. The findings highlight how the online support group provided an important peer support environment for members to connect with others, exchange information and support and engender discussion on political and social issues unique to living with often-rare neuromuscular disorders. Online support groups may therefore provide an important and easily accessible support outlet for people with neuromuscular disorders as well as a platform for empowering members to raise awareness about the impact of living with these conditions. Further research is needed to examine member motivations for using such groups and any effects of participation in greater detail. Implications for rehabilitation Online support groups may provide a unique forum for information sharing and peer support between people affected by often rare, neuromuscular conditions. Rehabilitation professionals may wish to signpost those affected by neuromuscular disorders to such groups. An advantage is that these groups are freely available and can be accessed from anywhere and at any time. Members may be able to learn about the diagnosis and symptom experiences of others, discuss coping strategies, validate illness experiences and discuss social and political issues relating to living with these conditions. Further research is needed before researchers and clinicians can fully understand participants' motivations for, and experiences of, using such groups and any potential psychosocial benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oonagh Meade
- a School of Health Sciences , University of Nottingham , Nottingham , UK
| | - Heather Buchanan
- b School of Medicine , University of Nottingham , Nottingham , UK
| | - Neil Coulson
- b School of Medicine , University of Nottingham , Nottingham , UK
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Ward JK, Peretti-Watel P, Verger P. Vaccine criticism on the Internet: Propositions for future research. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2016; 12:1924-9. [PMID: 26900646 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2016.1146430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on vaccine criticism on the Internet is now at a crossroads, with an already important body of knowledge published on the subject but also a continuous and even growing interest in the scientific community. In this commentary, we reflect on the published literature from the standpoint of sociologists interested in social movements and their activists and the influence they can have on vaccination behaviors. We suggest several avenues of research for future studies of vaccine criticism on the Internet: 1) paying more attention to the actors who publish vaccine critical contents and to their use of the Internet in relationship to the other means through which they try to mobilize the population - the production of vaccine critical information on the Internet, and not only its nature and its reception, should therefore become one of the main objects of this strand of research -; 2) paying closer attention to what distinguishes the different strands of vaccine criticism regarding both what they dislike about vaccines (or about a given vaccine) and how this fight is integrated in a more general political or cultural struggle; 3) investigating further how the new forms of social interactions allowed by the Internet affect the transmission of vaccine related information and the capacity of vaccine critical actors to enroll members of the public in their political or cultural struggle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy K Ward
- a INSERM, (UMR912: SESSTIM) , Marseille , France.,b Aix Marseille University, (UMR_S912, IRD) , Marseille , France.,c ORS PACA, Southeastern Health Regional Observatory , Marseille , France.,d Paris Diderot University (UMR8236: LIED) , Paris , France
| | - Patrick Peretti-Watel
- a INSERM, (UMR912: SESSTIM) , Marseille , France.,b Aix Marseille University, (UMR_S912, IRD) , Marseille , France.,c ORS PACA, Southeastern Health Regional Observatory , Marseille , France
| | - Pierre Verger
- a INSERM, (UMR912: SESSTIM) , Marseille , France.,b Aix Marseille University, (UMR_S912, IRD) , Marseille , France.,c ORS PACA, Southeastern Health Regional Observatory , Marseille , France.,e INSERM, F-CRIN, (I-REIVAC) , Paris , France
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Kaufman S, Whitehead KA. Producing, ratifying, and resisting support in an online support forum. Health (London) 2016; 22:223-239. [DOI: 10.1177/1363459315628043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Previous research examining online support forums has tended to focus either on evaluating their effectiveness while paying limited or no attention to the details of the interactions therein, or on features of their social organization, without regard to their effectiveness in fulfilling their stated purposes. In this article, we consider both the interactional features of a forum and participants’ treatment thereof as being effective (or otherwise), thus adopting a view of effectiveness grounded in participants’ proximate orientations and actions. Our analysis demonstrates some ways in which participants produce ratified displays of empathy in response to troubles expressed by another, as well as considering some designedly supportive actions that are treated by their recipients as unsupportive or antagonistic. Our findings indicate some structural features of such forums that facilitate the production of support, while suggesting that claims of knowledge tend to be treated as a basis of resistance to ostensibly supportive actions.
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Paulus TM, Varga MA. "Please Know That You Are Not Alone with Your Pain": Responses to Newcomer Posts in an Online Grief Support Forum. DEATH STUDIES 2015; 39:633-640. [PMID: 26024251 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2015.1047060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
In an effort to better understand how the Internet can provide support to bereaved individuals, this discourse analysis study examined the responses to 107 initial posts in an online grief support group to understand how newcomers' bids for group membership were taken up by current members. Discursive features included validation and empathy through second stories, constructing grief through descriptions, and accepting bids for membership through advice giving and invitations to return to the group. These features illustrate how grief and being a griever are constructed in an online context and how they deviate from the "normal" grief expectations in the offline world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trena M Paulus
- a Qualitative Research Program, Department of Lifelong Education, Administration & Policy , University of Georgia , Athens , Georgia , USA
| | - Mary Alice Varga
- b Department of Educational Technology & Foundations , University of West Georgia , Carrollton , Georgia , USA
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Bennett E, Gough B. In pursuit of leanness: The management of appearance, affect and masculinities within a men’s weight loss forum. Health (London) 2012; 17:284-99. [DOI: 10.1177/1363459312454149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In a somatic society which promotes visible, idealized forms of embodiment, men are increasingly being interpellated as image-conscious body-subjects. Some research suggests that men negotiate appearance issues in complex and varied ways, partly because image concerns are conventionally feminized. However, little research has considered how overweight men construct body projects in the context of weight loss, or how men talk to each other about weight management efforts. Since sources of information and support for overweight men are now provided online, including dedicated weight loss discussion forums, our analysis focuses on one such forum, linked to a popular male-targeted magazine. We conducted a thematic analysis of selected extracts from seven threads on the forum. Our analysis suggests a widespread focus on appearance, as well as the use of emotion categories when describing difficult bodily experiences. Invariably, however, such talk was carefully constructed and constrained by hegemonic masculinities founded on discipline, work-orientation, pragmatism and self-reliance. The findings are discussed in relation to magazine masculinities and aesthetics, as well as literature on male embodiment.
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