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Acceptability and feasibility of a group intervention for long COVID in Johannesburg, South Africa: A mixed-method study.
Front. Health Serv 5:1666387 (2025)
Background: COVID-19 affected 777
million people globally, with 7.1 million deaths. In Africa, 9.6 million
cases and 176,000 deaths were reported. Long COVID, a significant
consequence of the COVID-19, presented by chronic symptoms, affects the
physical and mental health, thereby impacting the quality of life. While
high-income countries implemented rehabilitation programs for managing
long COVID symptoms, low- and middle-income countries faced healthcare
disparities. In South Africa, limited multidisciplinary interventions
were evident. This study aimed to assess the acceptability and
feasibility of an 8-week rehabilitation and self-management program for
long COVID using mixed-methods approach in Johannesburg.
Methods: Patients and hospital staff
who suffered from at least one symptom of long COVID for a period of two
months and who consented to participate in the intervention were
recruited from Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital. The recruitment was
from July to October 2023. Questionnaires were administered and
interviews with selected participants were conducted to assess the
acceptability and feasibility of the intervention. A descriptive
analysis was carried out for the quantitative data, and a deductive
thematic analysis was used for the interviews.
Results: The participants had positive
perceptions towards the design of the intervention, delivery, materials
used and support by research staff and external consultants such as
dietitians, physiotherapists, and psychologists. The participants stated
that the intervention had improved their knowledge of long COVID and
increased their self-confidence. Major barriers related to the
intervention perceived by the participants were infrastructure, time and
language. Recommendations from the participants included expanding the
intervention at the community level and extending the duration of the
intervention beyond 8-weeks.
Conclusion: This pilot intervention,
that aimed to manage the symptoms of long COVID, was well accepted by
the participants and achieved its intended outcome. Similar
interventions are required at the clinical as well as community levels.
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Publication type
Article: Journal article
Document type
Scientific Article
Keywords
2019-20 Coronavirus Outbreak; Income
ISSN (print) / ISBN
2813-0146
e-ISSN
2813-0146
Journal
Frontiers in Health Services
Quellenangaben
Volume: 5,
Article Number: 1666387
Publisher
Frontiers Media S.A.
Publishing Place
Avenue Du Tribunal Federal 34, Lausanne, Ch-1015, Switzerland
Institute(s)
Research Unit Global Health (UGH)