COVID-19 patients require multi-disciplinary rehabilitation approaches to address persisting symptom profiles and restore pre-COVID quality of life

ABSTRACT

Background

Long-COVID diagnosis is prominent, and our attention must support those experiencing debilitating and long-standing symptoms. To establish patient pathways, we must consider the societal and economic impacts of sustained COVID-19. Accordingly, we sought to determine the pertinent areas impacting quality of life (QoL) following a COVID-19 infection.

Research methods

Three hundred and eighty-one participants completed a web-based survey (83% female, 17% male) consisting of 70 questions across 7 sections (demographics, COVID-19 symptoms; QoL; sleep quality; breathlessness; physical activity and mental health). Mean age, height, body mass and body mass index (BMI) were 42 ± 12 years, 167.6 ± 10.4 cm, 81.2 ± 22.2 kg, and 29.1 ± 8.4 kg.m², respectively.

Results

Participant health was reduced because of COVID-19 symptoms (‘Good health’ to ‘Poor health’ [P < 0.001]). Survey respondents who work reported ongoing issues with performing moderate (83%) and vigorous (79%) work-related activities.

Conclusions

COVID-19 patients report reduced capacity to participate in activities associated with daily life, including employment activities. Bespoke COVID-19 support pathways must consider multi-disciplinary approaches that address the holistic needs of patients to restore pre-pandemic quality of life and address experienced health and wellbeing challenges.

Plain Language Summary: The long-term impact of long-COVID has a dramatic impact upon daily activities and lifestyle. The development of bespoke support pathways to support patients must address the physical and psychological considerations to adequately restore pre-COVID quality of life and address broader societal and economic implications, especially for those that are of working age.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• long-COVID
• rehabilitation
• recovery
• respiratory
• infections
• long term conditions

Article highlights

• The longitudinal impact to which long-COVID affects health and wellbeing is yet to be understood in its entirety.

• Our data highlights a broad and complex symptom profile that persists in the post-COVID period and reduces quality of life.

• COVID-19 specific and multi-disciplinary rehabilitation approaches are needed to pre-COVID-19 restore pre-COVID-19 patient status.

Author contributions statement

All authors have made a significant contribution to the work reported in this manuscript. M Faghy, T. Maden-Wilkinson and A. Willmott conceived the study idea and M Faghy, T. Maden-Wilkinson, R. Arena, R. Copeland and A. Willmott developed the study design and method. R. Owen and H. Hodgkins were responsible for the acquisition of data and the resulting data analysis with the support of M. Faghy and A. Willmott.

All listed authors have contributed to the writing, revising, and reviewing the article prior to submission and agreed on all versions prior to submission and following revisions. All authors approved submission to Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine.

All authors agree to take responsibility and be accountable for the contents of the article and to share responsibility to resolve any questions raised about the accuracy or integrity of the published work.

Declaration of Interests

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.