Health Preserving Practices of Russians with Post-COVID-19 Syndrome

Abstract

Introduction: Post-COVID-19 syndrome, its symptoms, duration and treatment are the subject of discussion not only within the professional medical community, but also among various groups of the population. Health-related narratives of Internet users about post-COVID-19 syndrome help understand what behavioral strategies can be implemented in people facing this condition and increase the effectiveness of health-preserving measures. Objective: To characterize health preserving practices of the Russians suffering from post-COVID syndrome based on the analysis of digital narratives about the disease, rehabilitation methods and therapies. Materials and methods: This qualitative research explored health practices in narratives of a sample of 23 Russian Internet users that struggled with post-COVID-19 syndrome. Results: Narratives about post-COVID-19 syndrome include documenting a) symptoms of the disease, b) ways of searching for and maintaining information about treatment methods, c) details of communication with representatives of the medical community and the social environment (including medical gaslighting), and d) health care practices (in terms of therapy and rehabilitation) and their efficiency. The narrator’s initial focus on formal/traditional medicine or selftreatment largely determined the behavioral strategy in the context of post-COVID conditions. Three types of strategies have been identified: 1) a strategy of maximum institutionalized health care, which involves responsible behavior (visiting a doctor for the first symptoms, complying with recommendations), 2) a strategy of independent health care based on the importance of one’s own opinion (following “habitual algorithms”), and 3) a strategy of independent health care focused on the opinion of the social environment (Internet search for information about post-COVID-19 conditions, discussions with friends and acquaintances). For all types of strategies, health care practices included taking medications, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and striving for psycho-emotional balance. Conclusion: The study of narratives about post-COVID-19 syndrome made it possible to describe human behavior in the face of a new health challenge, systematize basic health preserving practices, raise questions related to the functioning of the health care system, and establish certain manifestations of social attitudes towards health.