Experiences of being at high-risk during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on emotional well-being and daily life in people with chronic conditions: a qualitative study
Abstract Background With its health risks and extensive disruption to everyday life, the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the lives of billions of people. People with chronic conditions are particularly susceptible to severe illness if infected by COVID-19, and they have repeatedly been u...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-023-00607-6 |
| _version_ | 1797784570180927488 |
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| author | Caroline Trillingsgaard Mejdahl Pernille Bjørnholt Nielsen Lise Arnth Nielsen Astrid Fyrstenborg Christensen Berit Kjærside Nielsen |
| author_facet | Caroline Trillingsgaard Mejdahl Pernille Bjørnholt Nielsen Lise Arnth Nielsen Astrid Fyrstenborg Christensen Berit Kjærside Nielsen |
| author_sort | Caroline Trillingsgaard Mejdahl |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background With its health risks and extensive disruption to everyday life, the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the lives of billions of people. People with chronic conditions are particularly susceptible to severe illness if infected by COVID-19, and they have repeatedly been urged to take stringent steps to ‘shield’ themselves from the virus. It is argued that the negative impact of isolation and other lockdown-related restrictions on emotional well-being and daily life may be most prominent among people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. This qualitative thematic analysis aimed to explore how individuals with chronic conditions perceived the risk posed by COVID-19 and to understand how being at high risk affected their emotional well-being and everyday life. Methods The study is a thematic analysis of qualitative data consisting of semi-structured interviews with adults affected by at least one chronic condition supplemented with free text comments from a PRO-based survey. Results Based on 17 semi-structured interviews and 144 free text comments from a PRO-based survey three thematic patterns representing diverse COVID-19-related risk experiences were extracted: (1) Feeling vulnerable and at risk, (2) Uncertainty about being at risk, and (3) Distancing from the high-risk label. Conclusions The risk of COVID-19 impacted the participants’ everyday lives and emotional well-being in various ways. Some participants felt vulnerable and at risk causing them and their families to take on far-reaching precautions with significant consequences for their everyday life and emotional well-being. Some participants expressed uncertainty associated with whether they were at increased risk. Such uncertainty gave rise to dilemmas about how to navigate their everyday life. Other participants did not identify themselves as at higher risk and took no special precautions. Such a lack of perceived risk may undermine their motivation for taking preventive measures, which calls for public attention regarding current or future pandemics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:42:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9be7dda8dc984215a6d087fc9000d614 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2509-8020 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:42:45Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes |
| spelling | doaj.art-9be7dda8dc984215a6d087fc9000d6142023-07-09T11:15:24ZengSpringerOpenJournal of Patient-Reported Outcomes2509-80202023-07-01711910.1186/s41687-023-00607-6Experiences of being at high-risk during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on emotional well-being and daily life in people with chronic conditions: a qualitative studyCaroline Trillingsgaard Mejdahl0Pernille Bjørnholt Nielsen1Lise Arnth Nielsen2Astrid Fyrstenborg Christensen3Berit Kjærside Nielsen4DEFACTUM – Public Health Research, Central Denmark RegionDEFACTUM – Public Health Research, Central Denmark RegionDEFACTUM – Public Health Research, Central Denmark RegionDEFACTUM – Public Health Research, Central Denmark RegionDEFACTUM – Public Health Research, Central Denmark RegionAbstract Background With its health risks and extensive disruption to everyday life, the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the lives of billions of people. People with chronic conditions are particularly susceptible to severe illness if infected by COVID-19, and they have repeatedly been urged to take stringent steps to ‘shield’ themselves from the virus. It is argued that the negative impact of isolation and other lockdown-related restrictions on emotional well-being and daily life may be most prominent among people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. This qualitative thematic analysis aimed to explore how individuals with chronic conditions perceived the risk posed by COVID-19 and to understand how being at high risk affected their emotional well-being and everyday life. Methods The study is a thematic analysis of qualitative data consisting of semi-structured interviews with adults affected by at least one chronic condition supplemented with free text comments from a PRO-based survey. Results Based on 17 semi-structured interviews and 144 free text comments from a PRO-based survey three thematic patterns representing diverse COVID-19-related risk experiences were extracted: (1) Feeling vulnerable and at risk, (2) Uncertainty about being at risk, and (3) Distancing from the high-risk label. Conclusions The risk of COVID-19 impacted the participants’ everyday lives and emotional well-being in various ways. Some participants felt vulnerable and at risk causing them and their families to take on far-reaching precautions with significant consequences for their everyday life and emotional well-being. Some participants expressed uncertainty associated with whether they were at increased risk. Such uncertainty gave rise to dilemmas about how to navigate their everyday life. Other participants did not identify themselves as at higher risk and took no special precautions. Such a lack of perceived risk may undermine their motivation for taking preventive measures, which calls for public attention regarding current or future pandemics.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-023-00607-6COVID-19RiskChronic conditionsEveryday lifeEmotional well-beingQualitative |
| spellingShingle | Caroline Trillingsgaard Mejdahl Pernille Bjørnholt Nielsen Lise Arnth Nielsen Astrid Fyrstenborg Christensen Berit Kjærside Nielsen Experiences of being at high-risk during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on emotional well-being and daily life in people with chronic conditions: a qualitative study Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes COVID-19 Risk Chronic conditions Everyday life Emotional well-being Qualitative |
| title | Experiences of being at high-risk during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on emotional well-being and daily life in people with chronic conditions: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Experiences of being at high-risk during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on emotional well-being and daily life in people with chronic conditions: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Experiences of being at high-risk during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on emotional well-being and daily life in people with chronic conditions: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experiences of being at high-risk during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on emotional well-being and daily life in people with chronic conditions: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Experiences of being at high-risk during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on emotional well-being and daily life in people with chronic conditions: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | experiences of being at high risk during the covid 19 pandemic and its impact on emotional well being and daily life in people with chronic conditions a qualitative study |
| topic | COVID-19 Risk Chronic conditions Everyday life Emotional well-being Qualitative |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-023-00607-6 |
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