A qualitative study of long COVID: perspectives from general practice

Research output: Contribution to conferenceAbstractpeer-review

Abstract

Key Points
1) General practices need more information about accurate definitions and diagnosis of long COVID.
2) General practice voices need to be heard to enhance our understanding of long COVID and to help inform long COVID policy decisions.
Introduction
It is important to understand the impact of long COVID at the service provider/practitioner level. The current study was undertaken to gain a qualitative understanding of long COVID in the general practice setting.

Methods
We conducted a qualitative study to understand the general practice experience of long COVID, and to explore avenues for contributing to the safety and quality of the long COVID response. Written informed consent was obtained from participants which included general practitioners, Primary Health Network professionals, digital health developers and researchers. The session was held online and transcribed for qualitative content analysis.

Results
Key findings related to diagnosis, documentation (of COVID infections), management, screening tools, and public health messaging. The importance of, and need for, more information on long COVID was captured in the following quotes:
“We really need to give GPs a lot more information about accurate definitions and diagnosis.”
“Without that … information, we're not going to get the data, without the data, we’re not going to be able to help people.”

Conclusion
Qualitative research has an important role to play in contributing to our understanding of long COVID from health services research perspective.

Acknowledgements
This project is a collaboration including the Australian Institute of Health Innovation at Macquarie University, Outcome Health, Eastern Melbourne PHN, South Eastern Melbourne PHN, Central and Eastern Sydney PHN and South Western Sydney PHN. The project is funded by the Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages1
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2023
EventLong COVID Conference : Impacts, Evidence and Better Care - Victoria and Virtual, Melbourne, Australia
Duration: 1 Sept 20231 Sept 2023

Conference

ConferenceLong COVID Conference
Country/TerritoryAustralia
CityMelbourne
Period1/09/231/09/23

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