“A bit of a cough, tired, not very resilient – is that already Long-COVID?” perceptions and experiences of GPs with Long-COVID..., 2024, Hoffman et al

“A bit of a cough, tired, not very resilient – is that already Long-COVID?” perceptions and experiences of GPs with Long-COVID in year three of the pandemic. a qualitative interview study in Austria
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-024-20475-z

Abstract

Background
Long-COVID is a new multisectoral healthcare challenge. This study aims at understanding experiences, knowledge, attitudes and (information) needs that GPs had and have in relation to Long-COVID and how these evolved since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods
The study used an exploratory qualitative research design using semistructured interviews. A total of 30 semistructured interviews with GPs in different primary care settings (single practices, group practices, primary care centres) were conducted between February and July 2022. The data were analysed using qualitative thematic content analysis with the software Atlas.ti.

Results
This is the first study that empirically investigated Long-COVID management by GPs in Austria during the third year of the pandemic. All GPs indicated having experience with Long-COVID. In cities, GPs tended to have slightly better networks with specialists. The GPs who already worked in teams tended to find the management of Long-COVID easier. The symptoms that the physicians described as Long-COVID symptoms corresponded to those described in the international literature, but it is unclear whether syndromes and symptomes such as Post-Exertional-Malaise, autonomic dysfunction such as postural tachycardia syndrome or Mast-Cell-Overactivation-Syndrom, and cognitive dysfunctions were also recognized and correctly classified since they were never mentioned. Most GPs reacted quickly by granting the needed sick leaves and by seeing and discussing with the patients often.The treatment of the patients is described as an enormous challenge and frustrating for patient and GP if the treatment does not yield to significantly improved health also due to the high costs for the patient.

Conclusion
Long-COVID will continue to preoccupy our health care systems for a long time to come, as new variants of COVID-19 will continue to produce new patients without adequate prevention strategies. Therefore, it is not a question of if but when good support for GPs and adequate care pathways for people with Long-COVID will be implemented. Specific contact points that are familiar with therapy-refractory postacute infection syndromes like the postacute COVID condition as a subgroup of Long-COVID are urgently needed.

 

Year 3 is 2022. It was bleak in 2022. It's still bleak in 2024. It was bleak in 2019. And in 2010. And in 2000. And so on. Not much learned other than a few words here and there. Sometimes used correctly. Usually not.

To speak of therapy-refractory when you have no effective therapies is, IMO, weird. But they don't get it anyway. There is still this unwavering conviction that, in the absence of effective therapies, just do the rehabilitation stuff and don't think about it again. Or at the very least, they operate with the reasoning that it's out of their hands until then.

One could think that at least with a generally ignorant content that is, at least, aware of its own ignorance and shortcomings, this could be somewhat positive in that they think things should be improved. But we've seen that for decades and it never led anywhere. It hasn't happened anywhere with LC yet. And they're still focused on the wrong things, there is no plan B for anything they do. They need technology to give them answers, or nothing happens and nothing gets learned.

As for preventing new cases, well, I want a pet unicorn that poops gold, but I ain't getting that either.