Providence, RI, August 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — As post-COVID-19 conditions, or “long COVID,” continue to challenge millions of Americans, a new study published in the Journal of Cancer suggests that… family medical history It turns out that patients often 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 huge gap between the expectations of long-COVID patients and the realities of the US health care system.
Between 2022 and 2023, researchers conducted 20 interviews with primary care patients from a long Covid triage clinic University of UtahOf these, 19 interviews were analyzed. The average age of participants was 54 years, and 53% were women. Most participants were first infected with COVID-19 in 2020 (32%) or 2021 (47%). In this qualitative study, the authors specifically sampled primary care patients in the US, providing unique insight into the challenges faced by these patients.
key findings:
Patient expectations: Participants described two main categories of expectations: those for their physicians and those for treatment. Patients expected their primary care physicians to be knowledgeable about post-COVID conditions and attentive to their individual situations. For treatment expectations, patients expected to engage in collaborative processes with their physician.
Patient Experience: The study revealed two types of patient experiences. Positive interactions with physicians occurred when providers were honest and validating, while negative experiences occurred when patients felt dismissed or discouraged. In addition, patients described significant challenges in navigating the fragmented U.S. healthcare system, particularly in coordinating care, treatment, testing, and payment.
“Although many systemic barriers are largely beyond the control of providers, recognition and ongoing support from PCPs, as well as coordinated care and communication among the care team, may improve the quality of care for patients with long COVID,” the authors write.
Despite the many barriers and frustrations they faced, patients expressed a strong desire to collaborate with their healthcare providers to improve treatment outcomes. Primary care physicians and other healthcare professionals can better align patients' experiences with their expectations by listening to their concerns, validating their symptoms, and advocating for their needs. These actions are essential to providing patient-centered, effective care and ultimately improving health outcomes for long COVID patients.
Cited articles:
Challenges in receiving long COVID care: a qualitative interview study among primary care patients about their expectations and experiences
Elena GardnerMPH, Alex Lockery, Kirsten L. StoesserMD, Jennifer P. LeeserMD, jeanette brownMD, PhD, Bernadette KiralyMD, Dominic J. OseDr.Ph
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family medical history is a peer-reviewed, indexed research journal that provides an inter-disciplinary forum for new, evidence-based information affecting primary care topics. May 2003, family medical history It is sponsored by seven family medicine organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Board of Family Medicine, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, the Association of Departments of Family Medicine, the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, the North American Primary Care Research Group, and the College of Family Physicians. Canada, family medical history Published online six times each year, it includes original research from the clinical, biomedical, social and healthcare fields, as well as contributions on methodology and theory, selected reviews, essays and editorials. Full editorial content and interactive discussion groups for each published article can be accessed free of charge on the journal's website www.AnnFamMed.org.
Source: Annals of Family Medicine
