IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i15p6457-d1203970.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Accessing Care Services for Long COVID Sufferers in Alberta, Canada: A Random, Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Author

Listed:
  • Jacqueline A. Krysa

    (Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada
    Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada)

  • Sidney Horlick

    (Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada
    Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada)

  • Kiran Pohar Manhas

    (Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada
    Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada)

  • Katharina Kovacs Burns

    (School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
    Department of Clinical Quality Metrics, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada)

  • Mikayla Buell

    (Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada
    Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada)

  • Maria J. Santana

    (Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada)

  • Kristine Russell

    (Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada)

  • Elizabeth Papathanassoglou

    (Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada
    Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada)

  • Chester Ho

    (Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada
    Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada)

Abstract

Designing appropriate rehabilitation programs for long COVID-19 remains challenging. The purpose of this study was to explore the patient experience of accessing long COVID-19 rehabilitation and recovery services. In this cross-sectional, observational study, a telephone survey was administered to a random sample of persons with long COVID-19 in a Canadian province. Participants included adults who tested positive for COVID-19 between March and October 2021. Survey respondents ( n = 330) included individuals who had been previously hospitalized for COVID-19 ( n = 165) and those who had not been hospitalized (‘non-hospitalized’) for COVID-19 ( n = 165). Significantly more previously hospitalized respondents visited a family doctor for long COVID-19 symptoms compared to non-hospitalized respondents (hospitalized: n = 109 (66.1%); non-hospitalized: n = 25 (15.2%); ( p < 0.0001)). Previously hospitalized respondents reported significantly more referrals to specialty healthcare providers for long COVID-19 sym`ptoms (hospitalized: n = 45 (27.3%); non-hospitalized: n = 6 (3.6%); ( p < 0.001)). A comparable number of respondents in both groups accessed care services that did not require a referral to manage their long COVID-19 symptoms (hospitalized: n = 31 (18.8%); non-hospitalized: n = 20 (12.1%); ( p = 0.20)). These findings demonstrate the diversity of recovery services used by individuals with long COVID-19 and emphasize the need for multidisciplinary long COVID-19 rehabilitation and recovery care pathways.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacqueline A. Krysa & Sidney Horlick & Kiran Pohar Manhas & Katharina Kovacs Burns & Mikayla Buell & Maria J. Santana & Kristine Russell & Elizabeth Papathanassoglou & Chester Ho, 2023. "Accessing Care Services for Long COVID Sufferers in Alberta, Canada: A Random, Cross-Sectional Survey Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(15), pages 1-14, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:15:p:6457-:d:1203970
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/15/6457/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/15/6457/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Min Du & Yirui Ma & Jie Deng & Min Liu & Jue Liu, 2022. "Comparison of Long COVID-19 Caused by Different SARS-CoV-2 Strains: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-15, November.
    2. Callard, Felicity & Perego, Elisa, 2021. "How and why patients made Long Covid," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    3. Sarah E. Roth & Diana J. Govier & Katherine Marsi & Hannah Cohen-Cline, 2022. "Differences in Outpatient Health Care Utilization 12 Months after COVID-19 Infection by Race/Ethnicity and Community Social Vulnerability," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-15, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Turner, Melody & Beckwith, Helen & Spratt, Tanisha & Vallejos, Elvira Perez & Coughlan, Barry, 2023. "The #longcovid revolution: A reflexive thematic analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 333(C).
    2. Matthew Whitaker & Joshua Elliott & Marc Chadeau-Hyam & Steven Riley & Ara Darzi & Graham Cooke & Helen Ward & Paul Elliott, 2022. "Persistent COVID-19 symptoms in a community study of 606,434 people in England," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Daniel M. Altmann & Catherine J. Reynolds & George Joy & Ashley D. Otter & Joseph M. Gibbons & Corinna Pade & Leo Swadling & Mala K. Maini & Tim Brooks & Amanda Semper & Áine McKnight & Mahdad Noursad, 2023. "Persistent symptoms after COVID-19 are not associated with differential SARS-CoV-2 antibody or T cell immunity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Giuseppe Craparo & Valentina Lucia La Rosa & Elena Commodari & Graziella Marino & Michela Vezzoli & Palmira Faraci & Carmelo Mario Vicario & Gabriella Serena Cinà & Morena Colombi & Giuseppe Arcoleo &, 2022. "What Is the Role of Psychological Factors in Long COVID Syndrome? Latent Class Analysis in a Sample of Patients Recovered from COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, December.
    5. Webb, Erin & Hernández-Quevedo, Cristina & Williams, Gemma & Scarpetti, Giada & Reed, Sarah & Panteli, Dimitra, 2022. "Providing health services effectively during the first wave of COVID-19: A cross-country comparison on planning services, managing cases, and maintaining essential services," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(5), pages 382-390.
    6. Weipeng Fang & Changwei Qin & Dan Zhou & Jian Yin & Zhongmin Liu & Xianjun Guan, 2023. "The Impact of Cooperative Behavior between Social Organizations during the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak in Shanghai: A Simulation Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-12, January.
    7. Paul B. Perrin & Daniela Ramos-Usuga & Samuel J. West & Kritzia Merced & Daniel W. Klyce & Anthony H. Lequerica & Laiene Olabarrieta-Landa & Elisabet Alzueta & Fiona C. Baker & Stella Iacovides & Mar , 2022. "Network Analysis of Neurobehavioral Symptom Patterns in an International Sample of Spanish-Speakers with a History of COVID-19 and Controls," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-11, December.
    8. Evan Xu & Yan Xie & Ziyad Al-Aly, 2023. "Long-term gastrointestinal outcomes of COVID-19," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    9. Roth, Phillip H. & Gadebusch-Bondio, Mariacarla, 2022. "The contested meaning of “long COVID” – Patients, doctors, and the politics of subjective evidence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    10. Rohitash Chandra & Ayush Jain & Divyanshu Singh Chauhan, 2022. "Deep learning via LSTM models for COVID-19 infection forecasting in India," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(1), pages 1-28, January.
    11. Claire E. Hastie & David J. Lowe & Andrew McAuley & Nicholas L. Mills & Andrew J. Winter & Corri Black & Janet T. Scott & Catherine A. O’Donnell & David N. Blane & Susan Browne & Tracy R. Ibbotson & J, 2023. "True prevalence of long-COVID in a nationwide, population cohort study," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-6, December.
    12. Sætra, Henrik Skaug, 2022. "The ethics of trading privacy for security: The multifaceted effects of privacy on liberty and security," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    13. Leoni-Johanna Speichert & Adam Schweda & Oliver Witzke & Margarethe Konik & Hana Rohn & Mark Stettner & Venja Musche & Klaas Herchert & Madeleine Fink & Sheila Geiger & Alexander Bäuerle & Eva-Maria S, 2022. "Fear of Death during COVID-19 Does Not Explain Post-Infection Depression Symptoms beyond Reported Symptoms during the Infection in COVID-19 Survivors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-10, October.
    14. Mullard, Jordan C.R. & Kawalek, Jessica & Parkin, Amy & Rayner, Clare & Mir, Ghazala & Sivan, Manoj & Greenhalgh, Trisha, 2023. "Towards evidence-based and inclusive models of peer support for long covid: A hermeneutic systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    15. Sarah Houben & Bruno Bonnechère, 2022. "The Impact of COVID-19 Infection on Cognitive Function and the Implication for Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-21, June.
    16. Christina J. Atchison & Bethan Davies & Emily Cooper & Adam Lound & Matthew Whitaker & Adam Hampshire & Adriana Azor & Christl A. Donnelly & Marc Chadeau-Hyam & Graham S. Cooke & Helen Ward & Paul Ell, 2023. "Long-term health impacts of COVID-19 among 242,712 adults in England," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:15:p:6457-:d:1203970. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.