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

Jacqueline A. Krysa, Sidney Horlick, Kiran Pohar Manhas, Katharina Kovacs Burns, Mikayla Buell, Maria J. Santana, Kristine Russell, Elizabeth Papathanassoglou and Chester Ho ()
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Jacqueline A. Krysa: Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada
Sidney Horlick: Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada
Kiran Pohar Manhas: Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada
Katharina Kovacs Burns: School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
Mikayla Buell: Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, 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
Chester Ho: Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4, Canada

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 15, 1-14

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.

Keywords: long COVID-19; healthcare navigation; patient experience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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