The emotional well-being of Long COVID patients in relation to their symptoms, social support and stigmatization in social and health services: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background Long COVID patients have experienced a decline in their quality of life due to, in part but not wholly, its negative emotional impact. Some of the most prevalent mental health symptoms presented by long COVID patients are anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. As such, the need has arisen to analyze the personal experiences of these patients to understand how they are managing their daily lives while dealing with the condition. The objective of this study is to increase understanding about the emotional well-being of people diagnosed with long COVID. Methods A qualitative design was created and carried out using 35 patients, with 17 participants being interviewed individually and 18 of them taking part in two focus groups. The participating patients were recruited in November and December 2021 from Primary Health Care (PHC) centers in the city of Zaragoza (Northern Spain) and from the Association of Long COVID Patients in Aragon. The study topics were emotional well-being, social support networks, and experience of discrimination. All an inductive thematic content analyses were performed iteratively using NVivo software. Results The Long COVID patients identified low levels of self-perceived well-being due to their persistent symptoms, as well as limitations in their daily lives that had been persistent for many months. Suicidal thoughts were also mentioned by several patients. They referred to anguish and anxiety about the future as well as a fear of reinfection or relapse and returning to work. Many of the participants reported that they have sought the help of a mental health professional. Most participants identified discriminatory situations in health care. Conclusions It is necessary to continue researching the impact that Long COVID has had on mental health, as well as to provide Primary Health Care professionals with evidence that can guide the emotional treatment of these patients

Long covid and mental and physical health: A cross‐sectional study of adults in California

“…However, individuals with long covid symptoms have reported having low access to services and treatments, and this lack of access has led to stress and anxiety [38]. In addition, when accessing treatment services, many individuals with long covid symptoms report experiencing discrimination and stigma from healthcare professionals, including not believing symptoms [39]. Although long covid is complex and can manifest in many different ways, it is critical to provide evidence‐based approaches to the assessment and treatment of long covid [40].…”

Clinical characterization and factors associated with quality of life in Long COVID patients: Secondary data analysis from a randomized clinical trial

“…Possibly, Long COVID patients with a higher educational level know about the lack of available treatments and the ignorance of health professionals. This uncertainty causes frustration among Long COVID patients, thus reducing their mental health, as a previous qualitative study indicated [ 29 ]. On the other hand, our correlation analyzes reveals that people who are actively employed or retired have a significantly higher physical health score compared to those who are unemployed or in a situation of TWD.…”

“…The physical and mental repercussions are affecting different areas of life such as family, work or social and consequently, their quality of life [ 29 ]. Therefore, Long COVID must be recognized as a condition with disabling potential, at least temporarily [ 30 ].…”

Effectiveness of ReCOVery APP to improve the quality of life of Long COVID patients: a 6-month follow-up randomized clinical trial

“…In the same vein, official sources highlight the need for interventions based on a personalised care plan, from a multidisciplinary perspective (45). In this context and given that Long COVID patients have experienced a reduction in their quality of life, functional capacities, and well-being (46), this intervention has designed ReCOVery, an APP with a multidisciplinary rehabilitative approach, focused on improving the quality of life of patients with persistent COVID.…”