Symptoms of Long-COVID and their impact on primary care patients’ livelihoods – Part 2 of 3

Context: Post-Covid-19 Condition (PCC), or “long-Covid,” is symptomatically complex and impacts several aspects of patient’s livelihoods. Research on symptom’s impact on work or relationships has previously been explored, but other experiences have not received equal attention.

Objective: This study describes the symptoms and impacts of long-Covid and discusses the role of primary care in addressing the impacts of long-Covid.

Study Design and Analysis: A phenomenological approach guided this analysis due to the exploratory nature of the lived experience of long-COVID. We developed an interview guide based on a literature review and clinician observations. Transcripts were analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis.

Setting or Dataset: The setting was an academic medical institution in the Mountain West. We de-identified and transcribed the recorded interviews.

Population Studied: Using purposive sampling from a long-COVID clinic, we conducted semi-structured interviews with English-speaking, adult primary care patients describing symptoms of long-COVID.

Intervention/Instrument: n/a

Outcome Measures: Descriptions of patient symptoms and impacts of symptoms on pre-illness lifestyle (including impacts on household relationships, work, friendships, hobbies, and long-term goals).

Results: We report results from 19 interviews (53% female, mean age = 54). Some patients experienced a wide variety of symptoms (i.e., brain fog, shortness of breath, fatigue), or a worsening of previous illnesses (i.e., asthma), while others developed specific conditions (i.e., POTS). The severity of symptoms varied from patient to patient, however, almost all patients experienced symptoms that impacted their ability to maintain their pre-illness lifestyles. Many experienced symptoms that disrupted their work, household relationships, and friendships. Several patients had to abandon or stop working towards hobbies and long-term goals because of their symptoms.

Conclusions: Many patients face a new normal after developing long-COVID. Patients face the task of managing their symptoms to minimize their lifestyle impacts. Patients are left to determine how to seek help when managing their symptoms. Establishing chronic care models might support disease management for long-COVID patients.