ID-5184 Wonca Abstracts supplement A-K 13-10-23 - Flipbook - Page 119
WONCA 2023 Supplement 1: WONCA 2023 abstracts (A–K)
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Lived experience of long COVID patients and perspectives
of general practitioners in Australia: A qualitative study
Dr Oyuka Byambasuren1, Harold Davis1, Nikolas Drobetz1, Rupert Dwyer2, Prathibha Jose1,
Khoi Pham-Sultan1, Ellen Quinn1, Dr Mina Bakhit1
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Bond University, 2University of Queensland
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Background
The COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to a new chronic condition called ‘long COVID’, which can lead
to prolonged-term illness and disability due to long-lasting fatigue and respiratory and cognitive
symptoms. The conservative estimate of long COVID prevalence globally is around 10%, meaning
more than 1 million Australians could be suffering from this condition.
Aims
This study has two main aims: (1) to explore the lived experience of Australian long COVID patients,
determine their care needs and barriers they encounter to access healthcare; and (2) to explore the
perspectives of Australian general practitioners (GPs) on long COVID, the professional guidance and
support they need in diagnosing, managing and caring for long COVID patients.
Methods
Data will be generated through semistructured interviews with long COVID patients of all ages over
18, who have different severity of long COVID; and GPs with experience with dealing with long
COVID patients and of varying years of practice experience. Approximately 20 patients and 20 GPs
will be recruited by purposive sampling until data saturation has been achieved. The interviews will
be conducted online or by telephone (to reduce participants’ exposure to repeat COVID infections
and to make it convenient as many patients would be suffering from fatigue). Interviews will be audio
recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Ethics application is submitted to the Bond University
Human Research Ethics Committee.
Results
Preliminary results will be out by September 2023.
Conclusion
The knowledge we gain from this study will inform the development of much-needed policies,
resources for GPs, care pathways and multidisciplinary care that long COVID patients require.
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