16 research outputs found
Mixed-method feasibility study of a positive psychology intervention for post-COVID-19 patients
No full textThis study was a mixed-methods feasibility trial for a supportive well-being intervention (i.e. positive psychology intervention) for patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome (a.k.a. long COVID). The quantitative parts (datasets and SPSS syntax/R codes) of this study were anonymised and made publicly available. The qualitative parts are not publicly archived due to ethical and privacy concerns. However, the codebook with illustrative quotations of the qualitative data is shared here
Improving the quality of life in post-COVID-19-patients:A mixed-methods investigation toward self-management support for post-COVID-19 syndrome
Full text linkSix years after the emergence of COVID-19, its impact persists, especially for patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome (commonly known as long COVID). Post-COVID-19 syndrome is a complex disease occurring in 1 in 8 individuals after SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterised by debilitating, persistent symptoms. This severely limits daily life, physically, mentally, and socially, reducing the health-related quality of life. Currently, no curative treatment exists and waiting lists for specialised healthcare are long, leaving patients to self-manage their illness. This thesis explored the impact of post-COVID-19 syndrome on daily life, aiming to 1) deepen understanding of the syndrome and 2) contribute to self-management support. The results reveal that patients who were hospitalised with COVID-19 may experience substantially impaired physical and mental quality of life, although recovery trajectories differ. This may be exacerbated by their negative illness beliefs: struggles with sense-making, uncertainty, limited illness and recovery control, and negative emotions. Furthermore, symptoms fluctuate throughout the day, influenced by daily activities and positive and negative affect. Positive affect seems to improve self-regulation and symptom severity, making it a suitable target mechanism for intervention. Finally, two self-management support options were investigated. A technological symptom-oriented intervention via just-in-time adaptive intervention was deemed (currently) infeasible due to the complexity of post-COVID-19 symptoms. However, a positive psychology intervention helped patients through personal strengths and positive emotions to self-regulate mental well-being and may alleviate symptom burden. Although not suitable for everyone, such psychosocial interventions offer potential for patients awaiting clinical treatment. This thesis underscores the importance of a biopsychosocial approach to better understand post-COVID-19 syndrome and self-regulation needs, and argues to support patients in sense-making and mental well-being
Suitability of just-in-time adaptive intervention in post-COVID-19-related symptoms: A systematic scoping review.
Full text linkPatients with post-COVID-19-related symptoms require active and timely support in self-management. Just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAI) seem promising in meeting these needs, as they aim to provide tailored interventions based on patient-centred measures. This systematic scoping review explores the suitability and examines key components of a potential JITAI in post-COVID-19 syndrome. Databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus) were searched using terms related to post-COVID-19-related symptom clusters (fatigue and pain; respiratory problems; cognitive dysfunction; psychological problems) and to JITAI. Studies were summarised to identify potential components (interventions options, tailoring variables and decision rules), feasibility and effectiveness, and potential barriers. Out of the 341 screened records, 11 papers were included (five single-armed pilot or feasibility studies, three two-armed randomised controlled trial studies, and three observational studies). Two articles addressed fatigue or pain-related complaints, and nine addressed psychological problems. No articles about JITAI for respiratory problems or cognitive dysfunction clusters were found. Most interventions provided monitoring, education or reinforcement support, using mostly ecological momentary assessments or smartphone-based sensing. JITAIs were found to be acceptable and feasible, and seemingly effective, although evidence is limited. Given these findings, a JITAI for post-COVID-19 syndrome is promising, but needs to fit the complex, multifaceted nature of its symptoms. Future studies should assess the feasibility of machine learning to accurately predict when to execute timely interventions
Correction to: The effect of corticosteroids, antibiotics, and anticoagulants on the development of post-COVID-19 syndrome in COVID-19 hospitalized patients 6 months after discharge: a retrospective follow up study
Full text linkThe original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The corrected details are provided below: In abstract, first sentence, which previously read: To assess the effect of pharmacotherapeutic interventions commonly employed in the management of COVID-19 hospitalized patients on the development of post-COVID-19 syndrome. Should read: This assessment evaluates the effect of pharmacotherapeutic interventions commonly employed in the management of COVID-19 hospitalized patients on the development of post-COVID-19 syndrome.</p
Affect and Post-COVID-19 Symptoms Experience Sampling Study
No full textThis study was an exploratory experience sampling study in previously hospitalised COVID-19 patients who now experience long term sequelae (post-COVID-19 syndrome). As the collected data was based on patient data, this dataset has been cleaned and anonymised, so that participants are not identifiable. This means that some demographic and personal characteristics are obfuscated. For example, gender has been coded 1/2, without stating which value corresponds to which gender. Additionally, the SPSS syntaxes and R codes used to analyse the data are shared here
Affect and Post-COVID-19 Symptoms Experience Sampling Study
No full textThis study was an exploratory experience sampling study in previously hospitalised COVID-19 patients who now experience long term sequelae (post-COVID-19 syndrome). As the collected data was pseudonymised and cannot be untangled from personal data, the datasets are not openly available. However, the SPSS syntaxes and R codes used to analyse the data are shared here
The effect of corticosteroids, antibiotics, and anticoagulants on the development of post-COVID-19 syndrome in COVID-19 hospitalized patients 6 months after discharge: a retrospective follow up study
Full text linkTo assess the effect of pharmacotherapeutic interventions commonly employed in the management of COVID-19 hospitalized patients on the development of post-COVID-19 syndrome. This study employed two distinct databases, the Medisch Spectrum Twente (MST) clinical database comprising electronic health records of COVID-19 patients hospitalized at MST, and the Post-COVID cohort database which contains follow-up information on the same patients. These databases were integrated to establish the potential relationship between the administration of corticosteroids, antibiotics, or anticoagulants during hospitalization and the occurrence of post-COVID-19 syndrome after a 6-month interval following discharge. A total of 123 patients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 infection were included in this study. Among these patients, 33 (26.8%) developed post-COVID-19 syndrome which persisted even 6 months after hospital discharge. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients who received treatment with corticosteroids had a significantly lower likelihood (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.11–0.90) of developing post-COVID-19 syndrome, while no significant association was observed for treatment with antibiotics (OR 1.26, 95% CI 0.47–3.39) or anticoagulants (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.18–1.71). The findings of this study indicate that corticosteroids exert a significant protective effect against the development of post-COVID-19 syndrome in patients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 infection. Although a trend towards a protective effect of anticoagulants was observed, it did not reach statistical significance. On the contrary, patients treated with antibiotics were shown to have increased chances of developing post-COVID-19 syndrome, although this effect was also not statistically significant.</p
Using Participatory Action Research to Redirect Tinnitus Treatment and Research - An Interview Study
Full text linkBackground: Chronic bothersome tinnitus is a prevalent tinnitus subtype placing a high burden on affected individuals, economies, and healthcare systems. Patient and professional perspectives seem to be partly misaligned on how to improve tinnitus research and treatments in the future. This qualitative interview study was aimed at exploring, comparing, and stipulating the perspectives of different tinnitus stakeholder groups on ways of redirecting research and treatments to reduce patients’ suffering while accounting for challenges within these practices.Methods: This study used the participatory action research approach to facilitate the stakeholder involvement. Semi-structured online interviews including five participants (two tinnitus patients, two tinnitus researchers and medical specialists, one general practitioner) were conducted. Inductive grounded theory and the constant comparative method were used for data analysis.Results: Four categories for suggested research adaptations ((I) ethical patient involvement; (II) prioritising cure versus coping research; (III) funding; (IV) ethical publication) and six categories for suggested treatment adaptations ((I) ethical professional support; (II) patient involvement; (III) interdisciplinarity; (IV) professional tinnitus education; (V) clinical treatment guidelines; (VI) psychological treatment) were identified. Participants held partly similar priorities such as increasing pathophysiological and cure research. Differences between participants included, for instance, patients aiming for increasing patient involvement in tinnitus research and treatments compared to professionals arguing that the excessive focus on patients’ conditions might reduce the patients’ chances of habituating to their symptoms.Conclusions: Four action redirections for improving tinnitus research and treatment practices were defined: (I) facilitating communication between and within stakeholder groups, (II) increasing the reflective use of patient involvement, (III) increasing interdisciplinarity, and (IV) reducing barriers to receiving psychological treatment.</p
Stories around the Nirwana-flat: Merging modern design and social history (1925-1930)
No full textAfter the First World War, there was a housing shortage in The Hague, not only for the working and middle classes but also for the upper ones. Between 1925 and 1929, Dutch architects Jan Duiker and Jan Gerko Wiebenga designed and realized in The Hague the first residential hotel made of a reinforced concrete structure: the revolutionary Nirwana-flat. The residential hotel has a height of 25 meters with seven floors and a penthouse on the roof. High-rise was efficient, hygienic, comfortable, cheap, and the solution to the housing shortage. Functionality and efficiency played an important role in the design of the Nirwana-flat. The purpose of the flat was to allow a large number of people to live in a relatively small area which includes a cluster of luxury apartments with access to collective facilities, a lift, a restaurant, and a launderette.This architectural history thesis aims to explore the design of the Nirwana-flat in the socio-historical context during the 1920s and 1930s in the Netherlands. The research has been based on archival sources such as media publications, magazine articles, architecture magazines from the time of construction and after the construction of the Nirwana-flat, and the plans at the Duiker Archive. The thesis firstly explores the typology of the residential hotel in The Hague, then the Nirwana-flat (1925-1929), to finally address the media coverage of the Nirwana-flat once built. Finally, it concludes that in the first decades of the 20th century, the concept of residential hotels and their application has been the subject of debate and differing opinions. This included population density, urban planning, and balancing private space and communal living. As a result, the debate continued to shape discussions around housing policies and urban planning in The Hague and beyond.All in all, the (hi)stories around the Nirwana-flat prove its important socio-historical significance for the development of housing architecture.AR2A011Architectural History ThesisArchitecture, Urbanism and Building Science
