Recognition of post-COVID syndrome contributes to recovery

Patients suffering from post-COVID syndrome generally feel supported by their general practitioners; they take their complaints seriously and actively collaborate on finding solutions. General practitioners indicated that by entitling the disease as ‘post-COVID syndrome’, they gave patients guidance on coping with the symptoms. Both patients and general practitioners emphasize the importance of recognition and understanding when dealing with the ‘elusive’ post-COVID syndrome. At the same time, other patients feel stigmatized by healthcare providers and by those who are not close to them. Some patients feel that their general practitioner doubts the existence of post-COVID syndrome, leaving them with the feeling that their symptoms are not being acknowledged. These are the main findings of a qualitative study by Nivel, based on interviews conducted in 2022 with thirteen patients suffering from post-COVID syndrome and six general practitioners.

In 2022, we asked a group of patients with post-COVID syndrome about their experiences in living with post-COVID syndrome and the care they receive. We also talked to general practitioners about their experiences providing care to these patients and their perspectives on the impact of post-COVID syndrome on their patients’ daily lives.