Patients’ Health Experiences of Post COVID-19 Condition—A Qualitative Study

Johanna Almgren, Emma Löfström (), Julia S Malmborg, Jens Nygren, Johan Undén and Ingrid Larsson
Additional contact information
Johanna Almgren: School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, P.O. Box 823, SE-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden
Emma Löfström: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hallands Hospital Halmstad, SE-301 85 Halmstad, Sweden
Julia S Malmborg: School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, P.O. Box 823, SE-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden
Jens Nygren: School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, P.O. Box 823, SE-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden
Johan Undén: Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, P.O. Box 117, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
Ingrid Larsson: School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, P.O. Box 823, SE-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-12

Abstract: Patients who suffer from long-term symptoms of COVID-19, described as post COVID-19 condition, are a new and large group of patients. There is a lack of knowledge concerning health experiences in this patient group. The aim of this study was to explore patients’ health experiences of post COVID-19 condition. Data collection was performed through 14 semi-structured interviews. The qualitative content analysis resulted in six sub-categories, three categories, and an overall theme. Patients experienced symptoms of varying duration—ranging from 5–21 months. The results showed that patients’ health experiences of post COVID-19 condition moved between uncertainty and new insights. This was shown by patients experiencing: (1) loss of abilities, including losing smell and taste and lacking energy, (2) loss of control, including being foreign to oneself and seeking answers, and (3) revaluation of life, including accepting the transformed body and prioritizing health. This study illustrates that patients living with post COVID-19 condition need to be treated with flexibility, based on each individual’s unique challenges and experiences of the symptoms and the consequences for their health.

Keywords: COVID-19; experience; health; lifestyle; long-term symptoms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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