Keywords: Post-Covid Syndrome, general practitioner, coping strategies, healtcare system experiences, qualitativ resesarch

Background:

Following a COVID-19 infection, some people develop long-term symptoms such as fatigue or shortness of breath - symptoms of Post-COVID Syndrome (PCS). These PCS patients face considerable challenges in everyday life, at work, and within the healthcare system. General practitioners (GP) play a pivotal role in providing care to PCS patients as they are often the first point of contact.

Research questions:

This study aims to examine how patients with PCS cope in everyday life and their experiences within the healthcare system, with a particular focus on the care provided by GPs.

Method:

This qualitative study is part of a larger mixed-methods research project on PCS. Participants were recruited via a random sample of people diagnosed with PCS and insured by a German sickness fund. The research team conducted 26 semi-structured interviews. The audio-taped and transcribed interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz and Rädiker (2022) in MAXQDA 2024.

Results:

PCS patients reported that they felt severely impaired by their symptoms in everyday life. Many were unable to work. Their mental health was negatively affected. They developed individual and social coping strategies, e.g. searching for information on PCS or re-distributing family tasks. Within the healthcare system, PCS patients often felt ignored or even stigmatized due to a lack of understanding and recognition of their persistent symptoms. However, some healthcare professionals, particularly GPs, displayed empathy and offered active support. This validation was highly beneficial for PCS patients’ illness adjustment.

Conclusions:

PCS patients struggle to manage their condition in everyday life and perceive support from the healthcare system as insufficient. GPs can lighten the observed emotional burden by taking PCS patients’ symptoms seriously and working with a symptom-oriented, biopsychosocial treatment concept. The study demonstrates methodological robustness due to random sampling, an appropriate sample size for qualitative research, and systematic qualitative analysis.

Points for discussion:

1. Are there specific care structures or best practice examples for managing PCS in your country?

2. How is PCS perceived by the general public in your country?

3. Do you know about any political supportive actions for PCS patients in your country and if so, how do they work?