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BACKGROUND: Persistent somatic symptoms (PSS) frequently remain under-treated in health care settings. Evidence-based services that lead affected individuals to early guideline-based care are currently missing. This study aimed to identify the needs of those affected concerning an internet-based guide. The second aim was to evaluate public and patient involvement (PPI). METHODS: Participants experiencing PSS for at least 6 months were recruited via hospitals, psychotherapeutic practices and self-help organizations. Qualitative data were gathered via ideation discussions and prioritization tasks. Thematic analysis was conducted to gain insight on the needs of people with lived experiences. PPI was quantitatively evaluated with the Public and Patient Engagement Evaluation Tool. RESULTS: A total of 12 individuals participated (eight females, ages 22-66 years, duration of symptoms 1-43 years). Participants wanted to feel more supported, validated, in control and engaged with managing their health. Content-related preferences included education, self-help, social support and contact addresses. The majority of participants (>90%) experienced their involvement as worthwhile. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first studies describing PPI in intervention development for PSS. The involvement was perceived as a valuable contribution to the development process. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Adults with lived experiences were involved at the level of collaboration through the establishment of a participatory research team (PRT) and at the level of consultation through a workshop series, including one of the coauthors. They were involved in developing and validating intervention material and checking data interpretation.
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OBJECTIVE: Many have reported odd dreams during the pandemic. Given that dreams are associated with mental health, understanding these changes could provide crucial information about wellbeing during the pandemic. This study explored associations between COVID-19 and dream recall frequency (DRF), and related social, health, and mental health factors. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional web survey of 19,355 individuals in 14 countries from May to July 2020. We collected data on COVID-19, mental health, sleep and DRF during the pandemic. We performed McNemar Tests to compare low (<3 nights per week) and high DRF (≥3 nights per week) before and during COVID-19 and to evaluate changes in sleep variables segmented by DRF. Chi-square tests were conducted to compare characteristics between low and high DRF. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between various independent variables and DRF. RESULTS: Reports of high DRF during the pandemic were higher than before the pandemic (P<0.001). Female gender (aOR=1.25, 95% CI 1.10-1.41), nightmares (aOR=4.22, 95% CI 3.45-5.17), sleep talking (aOR= 2.36, 1.73-3.23), sleep maintenance problems (aOR=1.34, 95% CI 1.15-1.56), symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD; aOR=1.24, 95% CI 1.09-1.41) and repeated disturbing thoughts (posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms) were associated with high DRF. Age group 55-64 years (aOR=0.69, 95% CI 0.58-0.83) reported less high DRF than younger participants. Unadjusted OR showed associations between depression, anxiety, and DRF; however, in adjusted regression depression (aOR= 0.71, 0.59-0.86) and anxiety (aOR=0.79, 95% CI 0.66-0.94) were negatively associated with high DRF. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: DRF was higher than pre-pandemic levels across four continents. DRF was associated with gender and parasomnias like nightmares and RBD symptoms, sleep maintenance problems, PTSD symptoms and negatively associated with depression and anxiety. The results implicate that COVID-19 is reflected in our dreams as an expression of the emotional intensity of the pandemic.