RESUMO
Designing appropriate rehabilitation programs for long COVID-19 remains challenging. The purpose of this study was to explore the patient experience of accessing long COVID-19 rehabilitation and recovery services. In this cross-sectional, observational study, a telephone survey was administered to a random sample of persons with long COVID-19 in a Canadian province. Participants included adults who tested positive for COVID-19 between March and October 2021. Survey respondents (n = 330) included individuals who had been previously hospitalized for COVID-19 (n = 165) and those who had not been hospitalized ('non-hospitalized') for COVID-19 (n = 165). Significantly more previously hospitalized respondents visited a family doctor for long COVID-19 symptoms compared to non-hospitalized respondents (hospitalized: n = 109 (66.1%); non-hospitalized: n = 25 (15.2%); (p < 0.0001)). Previously hospitalized respondents reported significantly more referrals to specialty healthcare providers for long COVID-19 sym`ptoms (hospitalized: n = 45 (27.3%); non-hospitalized: n = 6 (3.6%); (p < 0.001)). A comparable number of respondents in both groups accessed care services that did not require a referral to manage their long COVID-19 symptoms (hospitalized: n = 31 (18.8%); non-hospitalized: n = 20 (12.1%); (p = 0.20)). These findings demonstrate the diversity of recovery services used by individuals with long COVID-19 and emphasize the need for multidisciplinary long COVID-19 rehabilitation and recovery care pathways.
Assuntos
COVID-19 , Adulto , Humanos , Alberta/epidemiologia , Canadá , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Síndrome de COVID-19 Pós-Aguda , Estudos Transversais , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
The relationship between initial COVID-19 infection and the development of long COVID remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the experience of long COVID in previously hospitalized and non-hospitalized adults in a community-based, cross-sectional telephone survey. Participants included persons with positive COVID-19 test results between 21 March 2021 and 21 October 2021 in Alberta, Canada. The survey included 330 respondents (29.1% response rate), which included 165 previously hospitalized and 165 non-hospitalized individuals. Significantly more previously hospitalized respondents self-reported long COVID symptoms (81 (49.1%)) compared to non-hospitalized respondents (42 (25.5%), p < 0.0001). Most respondents in both groups experienced these symptoms for more than 6 months (hospitalized: 66 (81.5%); non-hospitalized: 25 (59.5), p = 0.06). Hospitalized respondents with long COVID symptoms reported greater limitations on everyday activities from their symptoms compared to non-hospitalized respondents (p < 0.0001) and tended to experience a greater impact on returning to work (unable to return to work-hospitalized: 20 (19.1%); non-hospitalized: 6 (4.5%), p < 0.0001). No significant differences in self-reported long COVID symptoms were found between male and female respondents in both groups (p > 0.05). This study provides novel data to further support that individuals who were hospitalized for COVID-19 appear more likely to experience long COVID symptoms.
RESUMO
Background: Patenting medicine-delivery devices (inhalers and pens) is controversial when it extends market protections beyond that of the underlying therapeutic agent. We evaluated how common device patenting is, internationally. Method: Using a product sample (n = 88) and an international patent database, we assessed the issue's scope. Results: When comparing the 88 patent portfolios for each product in each country, Canada was found to be among the most impacted, with 90% of the portfolios containing at least one device patent and 35% of the portfolios containing device patents exclusively. Conclusion: Patenting of delivery devices impacts major pharmaceutical manufacturing centres worldwide. International consensus among stakeholders (regulators and payors) is needed on which device modifications represent meaningful clinical value.