(Belga) Six months after contracting corona, at least one in seven patients still had symptoms, such as fatigue, shortness of breath and so-called brain fog, which is a group of memory and concentration problems. Long-term COVID-19 affects all age groups, but is most common in people between the ages of 35 and 69. This is evident from a study conducted by the Federal Center for Health Care Knowledge (KCE) on Tuesday. In healthcare, patients lack a universal approach to their symptoms.
“The numbers are significantly higher in patients admitted to hospital during the acute phase,” KCE estimates based on the international scientific literature. During the first three months after infection, higher numbers were reported, indicating a long-term recovery of a proportion of patients infected with COVID-19. The analysis shows that “Prolonged COVID-19 affects both people who have had a severe form of COVID-19 and people who have a mild (or perhaps even asymptomatic) form.” Symptoms are said to be caused by organ damage, abnormal body reactions, or exacerbation of pre-existing diseases. In February, the Knowledge Center conducted an online survey among 1,320 people with long-term COVID-19 and interviewed about a hundred participants. This showed that patients experience symptoms quite differently, from limited to life-changing. “In general, in the long term, COVID-19 leads to a marked decrease in quality of life, a certain loss of independence and difficulties returning to work. The psychological consequences are serious,” says KCE. Patients are concerned about how long the symptoms will last and how to deal with disbelief and stigma in their environment. In addition, a third of patients reported a lack of information, skilled staff, or access to care. According to the Knowledge Center, “Patients report that they often feel lost in our healthcare system and that there is a lack of a global approach to their problems.” This is why KCE sees the benefit of a global functional assessment, a bilan, which is positioned in specialist centers and refers patients to customized treatments in primary care. (Belgium)
“The numbers are significantly higher in patients admitted to hospital during the acute phase,” KCE estimates based on the international scientific literature. During the first three months after infection, higher numbers were reported, indicating a long-term recovery of a proportion of patients infected with COVID-19. The analysis shows that “Prolonged COVID-19 affects both people who have had a severe form of COVID-19 and people who have a mild (or perhaps even asymptomatic) form.” Symptoms are said to be caused by organ damage, abnormal body reactions, or exacerbation of pre-existing diseases. In February, the Knowledge Center conducted an online survey among 1,320 people with long-term COVID-19 and interviewed about a hundred participants. This showed that patients experience symptoms quite differently, from limited to life-changing. “In general, in the long term, COVID-19 leads to a marked decrease in quality of life, a certain loss of independence and difficulties returning to work. The psychological consequences are serious,” says KCE. Patients are concerned about how long the symptoms will last and how to deal with disbelief and stigma in their environment. In addition, a third of patients reported a lack of information, skilled staff, or access to care. According to the Knowledge Center, “Patients report that they often feel lost in our healthcare system and that there is a lack of a global approach to their problems.” This is why KCE sees the benefit of a global functional assessment, a bilan, which is positioned in specialist centers and refers patients to customized treatments in primary care. (Belgium)
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