Assessing the Acceptability of a Co-Produced Long COVID Intervention in an Underserved Community in the UK

Sally Fowler-Davis, Rachel Young, Tom Maden-Wilkinson, Waqas Hameed, Elizabeth Dracas, Eleanor Hurrell, Romila Bahl, Elisabeth Kilcourse, Rebecca Robinson and Robert Copeland
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Sally Fowler-Davis: Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S9 3TU, UK
Rachel Young: Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S9 3TU, UK
Tom Maden-Wilkinson: Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S9 3TU, UK
Waqas Hameed: Community Wellbeing Service (Specific Identity Withheld)
Elizabeth Dracas: Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield S5 7AU, UK
Eleanor Hurrell: Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
Romila Bahl: Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine, Virtual Institution, Edinburgh EH8 9DR, UK
Elisabeth Kilcourse: Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine, Virtual Institution, Edinburgh EH8 9DR, UK
Rebecca Robinson: Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine, Virtual Institution, Edinburgh EH8 9DR, UK
Robert Copeland: Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S9 3TU, UK

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 24, 1-16

Abstract: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected people from more deprived communities. The experience of Long COVID is similarly distributed but very few investigations have concentrated on the needs of this population. The aim of this project was to co-produce an acceptable intervention for people with Long COVID living in communities recognised as more deprived. Methods: The intervention was based on a multi-disciplinary team using approaches from sport and exercise medicine and functional rehabilitation. The co-production process was undertaken with a stakeholder advisory group and patient public involvement representation. This study identified participants by postcode and the indices of multiple deprivation (IMD); recruitment and engagement were supported by an existing health and wellbeing service. A virtual ‘clinic’ was offered with a team of professional practitioners who met participants three times each; to directly consider their needs and offer structured advice. The acceptability of the intervention was based on the individual’s participation and their completion of the intervention. Results: Ten participants were recruited with eight completing the intervention. The partnership with an existing community health and wellbeing service was deemed to be an important way of reaching participants. Two men and six women ages ranging from 38 to 73 were involved and their needs were commonly associated with fatigue, anxiety and depression with overall de-conditioning. None reported serious hardship associated with the pandemic although most were in self-employment/part-time employment or were not working due to retirement or ill-health. Two older participants lived alone, and others were single parents and had considerable challenges associated with managing a household alongside their Long COVID difficulties. Conclusions: This paper presents the needs and perspectives of eight individuals involved in the process and discusses the needs and preferences of the group in relation to their support for self- managed recovery from Long COVID.

Keywords: Long COVID; rehabilitation; virtual methods; multi-disciplinary team (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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