Long COVID as a never-ending puzzle: the experience of primary care physicians. A qualitative interview study

Abstract

BackgroundLong COVID provides a new context in which primary health care needs to be re-examined, especially because it has health and social dimensions. Primary care physicians’ experiences and perceptions of caring for patients with long COVID are an underexplored area.AimTo explore the experiences of Slovenian primary care physicians in management and treatment of patients with long COVID.Design & settingA qualitative interview study of physicians in Slovenian primary care.MethodSemi-structured interviews were held with physicians who had treated patients with long COVID until saturation was reached. The interviews were carried out between November 2021 and April 2022. Qualitative content analysis (QCA) was used to analyse the data collected.ResultsSeventeen participants were interviewed. The following five categories were defined based on the coding process: the definition and symptoms of long COVID; social exclusion; sick leave and returning to the work environment; cooperation with rehabilitation centres; and the importance of trust and good communication with the patient.ConclusionThe study showed the experiences of Slovenian primary care physicians in the management and treatment of long COVID. The problems related to long COVID were divided into two groups: health problems and psychosocial problems. Slovenian physicians have the greatest problems with dealing with the patient’s ability to work. It was found that adequate communication and trust between physicians and patients are two important indicators for an integrated model of managing long COVID.