Media Contact: Julie Hirschhorn, jhirschhorn@aafp.org
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — As post-COVID-19 conditions or "Long COVID" continue to challenge millions of Americans, a new study published in Annals of Family Medicine reveals that patients frequently face barriers and frustrations when seeking care. The study, titled "Challenges in Receiving Long COVID Care: A Qualitative Interview Study Among Primary Care Patients About Their Expectations and Experiences," shows a major disconnect between the expectations of long-COVID patients and the realities of the U.S. health care system.
Between 2022 and 2023, researchers conducted 20 interviews with primary care patients from a long COVID triage clinic at the University of Utah, analyzing 19 of these interviews. Participants averaged 54 years old, and 53% were female. Most participants were first infected with COVID-19 in 2020 (32%) or 2021 (47%). In this qualitative study, authors sampled exclusively primary care patients in the U.S., offering unique insights into the challenges these patients face.
Key Findings:
- Patient Expectations: Participants described two main categories of expectations: those for their practitioners and those for treatment. Patients expected their primary care practitioners to be knowledgeable about post-COVID conditions and attentive to their individual health needs. For treatment expectations, patients sought a collaborative approach with their providers.
- Patient Experiences: The study revealed two types of patient experiences. Positive interactions occurred when providers were honest and validating, while negative experiences were marked by feelings of dismissal or discouragement. Patients also faced challenges navigating the fragmented U.S. health care system, particularly in coordinating care, treatment, testing, and payment.
"While many systemic barriers are largely out of providers' control, validation and continuous support from PCPs, alongside coordinated care and communication among the care team, might improve care quality for patients with long COVID," the authors write.
Despite facing numerous barriers and frustrations, patients expressed a strong desire to collaborate with their health care providers to improve treatment outcomes. Primary care practitioners and other health care professionals can better align patient experiences with expectations by listening to concerns, validating symptoms, and advocating for patient needs. These actions are essential for delivering patient-centered, effective care and improving health outcomes for long-COVID patients.
Article Cited:
- Challenges in Receiving Long COVID Care: A Qualitative Interview Study Among Primary Care Patients About Their Expectations and Experiences
Elena Gardner, MPH; Alex Lockrey; Kirsten L. Stoesser, MD; Jennifer P. Leiser, MD; Jeanette Brown, MD, PhD; Bernadette Kiraly, MD; Dominik J. Ose, DrPH
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