British Thoracic Society survey of rehabilitation to support recovery of the post-COVID-19 population

Objective A proportion of those recovering from COVID-19 are likely to have significant and ongoing symptoms, functional impairment and psychological disturbances. There is an immediate need to develop a safe and efficient discharge process and recovery programme. Established rehabilitation programm...

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Main Authors: John R Hurst, Sally J Singh, Gisli Jenkins, Louise Preston, Charlotte Bolton, Amy C Barradell, Neil J Greening
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-12-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/12/e040213.full
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author John R Hurst
Sally J Singh
Gisli Jenkins
Louise Preston
Charlotte Bolton
Amy C Barradell
Neil J Greening
author_facet John R Hurst
Sally J Singh
Gisli Jenkins
Louise Preston
Charlotte Bolton
Amy C Barradell
Neil J Greening
author_sort John R Hurst
collection DOAJ
description Objective A proportion of those recovering from COVID-19 are likely to have significant and ongoing symptoms, functional impairment and psychological disturbances. There is an immediate need to develop a safe and efficient discharge process and recovery programme. Established rehabilitation programmes are well placed to deliver a programme for this group but will most likely need to be adapted for the post-COVID-19 population. The purpose of this survey was to rapidly identify the components of a post-COVID-19 rehabilitation assessment and elements of a successful rehabilitation programme that would be required to deliver a comprehensive service for those post-COVID-19 to inform service delivery.Design A survey comprising a series of closed questions and a free-text comment box allowing for a qualitative analysis.Setting Online survey.Participants Multiprofessional clinicians across specialties were invited to take part.Results 1031 participants responded from a broad range of specialties. There was overwhelming support for an early posthospital discharge recovery programme to advise patients about the management of fatigue (95% agreed/strongly agreed), breathlessness (94%) and mood disturbances (including symptoms of anxiety and depression, 92%). At the time point of 6–8 weeks, an assessment was considered important, focusing on a broad range of possible symptoms and supporting a return to work. Recommendations for the intervention described a holistic programme focusing on symptom management, return of function and return to employment. The free-text comments added depth to the survey and the need ‘not to reinvent the wheel’ but rather adapt well-established rehabilitation services to individually tailor needs-based care with continued learning for service development.Conclusion The responses indicate a huge interest and the urgent need to establish a programme to support and mitigate the long-term impact of COVID-19 by optimising and individualising existing rehabilitation programmes.
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spelling doaj-art-93f8cae62a5245e3a67181c733784e7f2024-11-22T04:15:12ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552020-12-01101210.1136/bmjopen-2020-040213British Thoracic Society survey of rehabilitation to support recovery of the post-COVID-19 populationJohn R Hurst0Sally J Singh1Gisli Jenkins2Louise Preston3Charlotte Bolton4Amy C Barradell5Neil J Greening6Academic Unit of Respiratory Medicine, UCL Medical School, London, UK11 Centre for Exercise and Rehabilitation Science, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UKNIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre Respiratory Theme, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKSheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR), School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UKprofessor of respiratory medicineDepartment of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKUniversity of Leicester, Leicester, UKObjective A proportion of those recovering from COVID-19 are likely to have significant and ongoing symptoms, functional impairment and psychological disturbances. There is an immediate need to develop a safe and efficient discharge process and recovery programme. Established rehabilitation programmes are well placed to deliver a programme for this group but will most likely need to be adapted for the post-COVID-19 population. The purpose of this survey was to rapidly identify the components of a post-COVID-19 rehabilitation assessment and elements of a successful rehabilitation programme that would be required to deliver a comprehensive service for those post-COVID-19 to inform service delivery.Design A survey comprising a series of closed questions and a free-text comment box allowing for a qualitative analysis.Setting Online survey.Participants Multiprofessional clinicians across specialties were invited to take part.Results 1031 participants responded from a broad range of specialties. There was overwhelming support for an early posthospital discharge recovery programme to advise patients about the management of fatigue (95% agreed/strongly agreed), breathlessness (94%) and mood disturbances (including symptoms of anxiety and depression, 92%). At the time point of 6–8 weeks, an assessment was considered important, focusing on a broad range of possible symptoms and supporting a return to work. Recommendations for the intervention described a holistic programme focusing on symptom management, return of function and return to employment. The free-text comments added depth to the survey and the need ‘not to reinvent the wheel’ but rather adapt well-established rehabilitation services to individually tailor needs-based care with continued learning for service development.Conclusion The responses indicate a huge interest and the urgent need to establish a programme to support and mitigate the long-term impact of COVID-19 by optimising and individualising existing rehabilitation programmes.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/12/e040213.full
spellingShingle John R Hurst
Sally J Singh
Gisli Jenkins
Louise Preston
Charlotte Bolton
Amy C Barradell
Neil J Greening
British Thoracic Society survey of rehabilitation to support recovery of the post-COVID-19 population
BMJ Open
title British Thoracic Society survey of rehabilitation to support recovery of the post-COVID-19 population
title_full British Thoracic Society survey of rehabilitation to support recovery of the post-COVID-19 population
title_fullStr British Thoracic Society survey of rehabilitation to support recovery of the post-COVID-19 population
title_full_unstemmed British Thoracic Society survey of rehabilitation to support recovery of the post-COVID-19 population
title_short British Thoracic Society survey of rehabilitation to support recovery of the post-COVID-19 population
title_sort british thoracic society survey of rehabilitation to support recovery of the post covid 19 population
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/12/e040213.full
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