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The Illness Experience of Long COVID Patients: A Qualitative Study Based on the Online Q&A Community Zhihu

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  • Yi Wang

    (School of Journalism and Communication, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361000, China)

  • Sheng Bao

    (School of Journalism and Communication, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361000, China)

  • Yubing Chen

    (School of Journalism and Communication, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361000, China)

Abstract

Long COVID is a public health problem that cannot be ignored, and it is critical to understand the long COVID patients’ living situations and support this group through their illness narratives. This study is based on grounded theory, and coded the self-produced texts of long COVID patients on the largest online Q&A community in China, Zhihu APP, in an attempt to explore the illness experiences of long COVID patients in China and to understand how they adapt to their illness and reconstruct their lives. The results show that patients face not only the threat of pain from the illness itself, but also social stigma and discrimination. Patients turn their illness experiences into motivation to move forward and reconstruct self and life by ‘pushing forward the biographical flows again’, ‘impression management’ and ‘self-compassion’. These findings can help policy-makers and medical institutions to provide timely and appropriate policy support and psychological assistance to patients with long COVID, to create a supportive and inclusive social environment, and to reduce discrimination and stigma against them.

Suggested Citation

  • Yi Wang & Sheng Bao & Yubing Chen, 2022. "The Illness Experience of Long COVID Patients: A Qualitative Study Based on the Online Q&A Community Zhihu," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-13, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:16:p:9827-:d:884026
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Emily E. Chasco & Kimberly Dukes & DeShauna Jones & Alejandro P. Comellas & Richard M. Hoffman & Alpana Garg, 2022. "Brain Fog and Fatigue following COVID-19 Infection: An Exploratory Study of Patient Experiences of Long COVID," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-12, November.

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