Perceptions of Long COVID Patients Regarding Health Assistance: Insights from a Qualitative Study in Spain

Objective: This study investigates the perceptions of Long COVID patients in Spain regarding the healthcare they receive to identify demands and areas for improvement. Methods: Using a qualitative descriptive phenomenological approach, the study included 27 participants selected through non-probabil...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Moratalla Cebrián, María Leopolda, Marcilla Toribio, Irene, Berlanga Macías, Carlos, Pérez Moreno, Ana, García Martínez, María, Martínez Andrés, María
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLM
OAI Identifier:oai:ruidera.uclm.es:10578/47634
Acceso en línea:https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4403/14/4/243
https://hdl.handle.net/10578/47634
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:COVID-19
Healthcare
Long COVID
Nursing
Public health
Qualitative research
Quality of life
Symptomatology
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network_acronym_str ES
network_name_str España
repository_id_str
spelling Perceptions of Long COVID Patients Regarding Health Assistance: Insights from a Qualitative Study in SpainMoratalla Cebrián, María LeopoldaMarcilla Toribio, IreneBerlanga Macías, CarlosPérez Moreno, AnaGarcía Martínez, MaríaMartínez Andrés, MaríaCOVID-19HealthcareLong COVIDNursingPublic healthQualitative researchQuality of lifeSymptomatologyObjective: This study investigates the perceptions of Long COVID patients in Spain regarding the healthcare they receive to identify demands and areas for improvement. Methods: Using a qualitative descriptive phenomenological approach, the study included 27 participants selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. Data were collected via online semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The findings reveal three key themes: (i) health status and challenges in healthcare during the initial COVID-19 infection; (ii) perceptions about healthcare as Long COVID patients; and (iii) demand for and aspects of improving quality of healthcare. The participants, predominantly women (66.67%) with a median age of 51 years, experienced symptoms that they generally perceived as severe, although only 14.81% required hospitalization. The participants reported initial self-management of symptoms at home, which was influenced by familial responsibilities and hospital overcrowding, and the persistence of a wide range of Long COVID symptoms that significantly impacted their daily lives. Satisfaction with healthcare services varied, with frustrations over systemic inefficiencies and long waiting times. Conclusions: The study highlights the need for timely access to medical care, comprehensive and empathetic healthcare services, and specialized Long COVID units. The results emphasize the importance of patient-centered approaches and multidisciplinary care to address the complex nature of Long COVID effectively. These findings provide crucial insights for improving healthcare protocols and systems to better support Long COVID patients. This study was prospectively registered with the Ethics Committee for Research on Medicines of the Albacete Integrated Health Care Management System (registry) on 22 February 2022 with registration number 2022/001.MDPI202620262024info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttps://www.mdpi.com/2039-4403/14/4/243https://hdl.handle.net/10578/47634reponame:RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLMinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)Inglésinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:ruidera.uclm.es:10578/476342026-05-27T07:36:41Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Perceptions of Long COVID Patients Regarding Health Assistance: Insights from a Qualitative Study in Spain
title Perceptions of Long COVID Patients Regarding Health Assistance: Insights from a Qualitative Study in Spain
spellingShingle Perceptions of Long COVID Patients Regarding Health Assistance: Insights from a Qualitative Study in Spain
Moratalla Cebrián, María Leopolda
COVID-19
Healthcare
Long COVID
Nursing
Public health
Qualitative research
Quality of life
Symptomatology
title_short Perceptions of Long COVID Patients Regarding Health Assistance: Insights from a Qualitative Study in Spain
title_full Perceptions of Long COVID Patients Regarding Health Assistance: Insights from a Qualitative Study in Spain
title_fullStr Perceptions of Long COVID Patients Regarding Health Assistance: Insights from a Qualitative Study in Spain
title_full_unstemmed Perceptions of Long COVID Patients Regarding Health Assistance: Insights from a Qualitative Study in Spain
title_sort Perceptions of Long COVID Patients Regarding Health Assistance: Insights from a Qualitative Study in Spain
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Moratalla Cebrián, María Leopolda
Marcilla Toribio, Irene
Berlanga Macías, Carlos
Pérez Moreno, Ana
García Martínez, María
Martínez Andrés, María
author Moratalla Cebrián, María Leopolda
author_facet Moratalla Cebrián, María Leopolda
Marcilla Toribio, Irene
Berlanga Macías, Carlos
Pérez Moreno, Ana
García Martínez, María
Martínez Andrés, María
author_role author
author2 Marcilla Toribio, Irene
Berlanga Macías, Carlos
Pérez Moreno, Ana
García Martínez, María
Martínez Andrés, María
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv COVID-19
Healthcare
Long COVID
Nursing
Public health
Qualitative research
Quality of life
Symptomatology
topic COVID-19
Healthcare
Long COVID
Nursing
Public health
Qualitative research
Quality of life
Symptomatology
description Objective: This study investigates the perceptions of Long COVID patients in Spain regarding the healthcare they receive to identify demands and areas for improvement. Methods: Using a qualitative descriptive phenomenological approach, the study included 27 participants selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. Data were collected via online semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The findings reveal three key themes: (i) health status and challenges in healthcare during the initial COVID-19 infection; (ii) perceptions about healthcare as Long COVID patients; and (iii) demand for and aspects of improving quality of healthcare. The participants, predominantly women (66.67%) with a median age of 51 years, experienced symptoms that they generally perceived as severe, although only 14.81% required hospitalization. The participants reported initial self-management of symptoms at home, which was influenced by familial responsibilities and hospital overcrowding, and the persistence of a wide range of Long COVID symptoms that significantly impacted their daily lives. Satisfaction with healthcare services varied, with frustrations over systemic inefficiencies and long waiting times. Conclusions: The study highlights the need for timely access to medical care, comprehensive and empathetic healthcare services, and specialized Long COVID units. The results emphasize the importance of patient-centered approaches and multidisciplinary care to address the complex nature of Long COVID effectively. These findings provide crucial insights for improving healthcare protocols and systems to better support Long COVID patients. This study was prospectively registered with the Ethics Committee for Research on Medicines of the Albacete Integrated Health Care Management System (registry) on 22 February 2022 with registration number 2022/001.
publishDate 2024
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2024
2026
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4403/14/4/243
https://hdl.handle.net/10578/47634
url https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4403/14/4/243
https://hdl.handle.net/10578/47634
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLM
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLM
collection RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLM
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