Examining the social costs of Long COVID to improve prevention , treatment and care
More on this story
The problem
While estimates of Long COVID ’ s prevalence are hindered by the absence of internationally accepted definitions , the sheer number of COVID cases globally means it ’ s likely millions of people are already experiencing long-term illness . Despite growing scientific attention , much about the longer-term clinical course of COVID-19 is still uncertain .
Our solution
Listening to patients ’ lived experience of Long COVID will help us better understand its impact on human bodies , health care and social worlds , says Scientia Associate Professor Kari Lancaster at the UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health ( CSRH ).
Kari Lancaster , who is also an Honorary Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine , undertakes critical social studies of evidence-based policy and practice in viral elimination , drugs and health .
Together with SHARP Professor Tim Rhodes , she leads the Evidence-Making Interventions in Health program at UNSW that examines evidence-making practices , implementation and translations in health and policy . They are co-leading longitudinal research into the social dimensions of Long COVID to guide prevention , treatment and care .
The qualitative research gathers storied accounts of patients ’ embodied experience of COVID-19 , how they navigate recovery and adapt to new and / or changing physical capacities . The team has undertaken three waves of interviews , over two years , with participants ranging from 27-79 years of age at diagnosis representing diverse disease experiences . The research is part of ADAPT , an ongoing observational cohort study following people post-COVID-19 infection , led by UNSW ’ s Kirby Institute and St Vincent ’ s Hospital Sydney .
Patients ’ accounts make Long COVID , its social impact ( for example , disturbances to work and family life ), and its effects on bodily capacities and functioning visible to help shape treatment and support policies . The research unpacks potential precarity resulting from illness exacerbated by social and material circumstances in the pandemic context .
30 .