Different but the Same: Common Themes in Illness Experience Among People With Diverse Long COVID Symptoms and the Potential Benefits of Virtual Group Medical Visits

Long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is poorly understood, widespread and debilitating. Integrative medical group visits (IMGVs) provide group medical care virtually or in person and are reimbursed by insurance payors. IMGV introduces integrative modalities such as mindfulness, nutrition, and acupressure in a person-centered, supportive, and educational environment. To evaluate a telehealth IMGV program called Nourish to Flourish (N2F) for patients with long COVID, three researchers conducted a qualitative analysis of pre- and post-group individual interviews. Twenty-five patients provided interviews, of which fifteen included pre- and post-group individual interviews. Main themes were unpredictable symptom patterns, a common range of emotions associated with long COVID experience, reconceptualizing self-identity, multiple barriers to care in conventional settings, and connections formed in N2F. Although symptoms varied, N2F participants found commonalities in their experiences of living with long COVID. They empathized with one another regarding changing symptoms, inconsistent social support, shifting identities, and barriers to effective medical care

A descriptive exploration of younger and older adults’ experiences of Integrative Medical Group Visits for Long COVID

Introduction: Long COVID disproportionately affects older adults. Individuals with Long COVID (LC) often experience symptoms that severely impact quality of life, and treatment approaches are still evolving. The Integrative Medical Group Visit (IMGV) model is an evidence-based approach that may be useful to treat patients with LC; however, there is limited evidence describing the experience and/or feasibility of using IMGV for LC treatment, especially among the older adult population. The purpose of this study is to describe older and younger adults’ experiences of both having LC and participating in a virtually delivered IMGV for LC. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of qualitative data from a parent study examining the experiences of participants in a virtually delivered IMGV for patients with LC. Patients participated in semi-structured interviews before and after 8 weekly IMGV sessions. Thematic analysis was used to analyze interview data. Results: Overall, 21 pre-interviews and 17 post-interviews were collected. Thematic analysis of patient interviews by age group resulted in three themes that each contained similarities and differences between the younger and older adult participants. These themes included: (1) experiences of LC (2) feelings about the future (3) experiences of the pilot IMGV on LC. Conclusion: This study provides critical context for clinicians who treat older adults with LC. Results support virtually delivered IMGVs as a potentially feasible option for both older and younger adults who want to apply an integrative approach to their LC treatment. Findings from this study will inform future research on IMGV for LC treatment

sj-docx-1-jpx-10.1177_23743735241230144 - Supplemental material for Different but the Same: Common Themes in Illness Experience Among People With Diverse Long COVID Symptoms and the Potential Benefits of Virtual Group Medical Visits

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-jpx-10.1177_23743735241230144 for Different but the Same: Common Themes in Illness Experience Among People With Diverse Long COVID Symptoms and the Potential Benefits of Virtual Group Medical Visits by Jessica Barnhill, Aisha Chilcoat, Bethany Kavalakatt, Raveena Mata, Malik Tiedt and Isabel Roth in Journal of Patient Experience</p

sj-docx-2-jpx-10.1177_23743735241230144 - Supplemental material for Different but the Same: Common Themes in Illness Experience Among People With Diverse Long COVID Symptoms and the Potential Benefits of Virtual Group Medical Visits

Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-jpx-10.1177_23743735241230144 for Different but the Same: Common Themes in Illness Experience Among People With Diverse Long COVID Symptoms and the Potential Benefits of Virtual Group Medical Visits by Jessica Barnhill, Aisha Chilcoat, Bethany Kavalakatt, Raveena Mata, Malik Tiedt and Isabel Roth in Journal of Patient Experience</p