Challenges in Receiving Care for Long COVID: A Qualitative Interview Study Among Primary Care Patients About Expectations and Experiences.

Autor: Gardner E; University of Utah Family and Preventative Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah u1368413@utah.edu., Lockrey A; University of Utah Family and Preventative Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah., Stoesser KL; University of Utah Family and Preventative Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah., Leiser JP; University of Utah Family and Preventative Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah., Brown J; University of Utah Internal Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah., Kiraly B; University of Utah Family and Preventative Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah., Ose DJ; University of Utah Family and Preventative Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.; WHZ Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau, Faculty of Health and Healthcare Sciences, Zwickau, Germany.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Annals of family medicine [Ann Fam Med] 2024 Sep 23; Vol. 22 (5), pp. 369-374. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Sep 23.
DOI: 10.1370/afm.3145
Abstrakt: Background: For many patients with post-COVID-19 condition (long COVID), primary care is the first point of interaction with the health care system. In principle, primary care is well situated to manage long COVID. Beyond expressions of disempowerment, however, the patient's perspective regarding the quality of long COVID care is lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the expectations and experiences of primary care patients seeking treatment for long COVID.
Methods: A phenomenological approach guided this analysis. Using purposive sampling, we conducted semistructured interviews with English-speaking, adult primary care patients describing symptoms of long COVID. We deidentified and transcribed the recorded interviews. Transcripts were analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis.
Results: This article reports results from 19 interviews (53% female, mean age = 54 years). Patients expected their primary care practitioners (PCPs) to be knowledgeable about long COVID, attentive to their individual condition, and to engage in collaborative processes for treatment. Patients described 2 areas of experiences. First, interactions with clinicians were perceived as positive when clinicians were honest and validating, and negative when patients felt dismissed or discouraged. Second, patients described challenges navigating the fragmented US health care system when coordinating care, treatment and testing, and payment.
Conclusion: Primary care patients' experiences seeking care for long COVID are incongruent with their expectations. Patients must overcome barriers at each level of the health care system and are frustrated by the constant challenges. PCPs and other health care professionals might increase congruence with expectations and experiences through listening, validating, and advocating for patients with long COVID. Annals Early Access article.
(© 2024 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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