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Best Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes when implemented in multiple real-life settings, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities.
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Peer Review Study
According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of individuals reporting Long COVID symptoms has decreased from 19% in June 2022 to 11% in January 2023 among those who have had COVID-19. While this decline is notable, 15% of all US adults have reported experiencing Long COVID symptoms at some point, with 6% currently affected. Long COVID continues to pose challenges, including limitations in daily activities for 79% of those affected and potential long-term disabilities. Efforts to address Long COVID include research initiatives and public health actions, but its full impact and the reasons behind the decline in reported cases remain subjects of ongoing study and concern.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
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Summary Report/Recommendations
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has taken significant steps to address the long-term effects of COVID-19, known as “Long COVID.” These actions include establishing advisory committees, forming offices dedicated to Long COVID research and practice, and providing technical guidance for evaluating disabilities related to Long COVID. HHS has also delivered comprehensive reports to the President outlining support services and research strategies. These efforts, in collaboration with various federal agencies, aim to assist individuals in living independently and participating in their communities while dealing with the ongoing impacts of COVID-19. Numerous resources, such as guides, civil rights protections, and workplace accommodations, have been made available to support those affected by Long COVID.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
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White Paper/Brief
This article discusses the need for a disability data justice framework to support health equity goals. Even though 27% of American adults report having a disability, there exists limited COVID-19 data for the disabled community. Some public health surveys administered during the pandemic did not incorporate questions around disability until 2021. The article presents a series of recommendations on ways to achieve disability data justice. These include making disability a core element of all demographic data collection alongside race, ethnicity, and gender identity, increasing representation of disabled people across health professions, collaborating with members of the disabled community when developing and implementing disability data collection, and making health data accessible to all people with disabilities.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
RELEASE DATE:
Other
The article discusses the challenges and frustrations surrounding Long COVID research in the United States. Despite substantial investments and numerous research efforts, progress in understanding and treating Long COVID has been slow and disappointing. Experts and patient advocates have criticized the research community for its focus on disease development rather than direct patient care, duplication of studies, and a lack of clinical trials. The authors propose a new hypothesis that Long COVID may be a form of post-infectious syndrome or chronic fatigue syndrome, suggesting that traditional biomedical research approaches may not yield meaningful results. Instead, they advocate for a shift towards health services research and measures that directly impact patients’ welfare, including prevention, improved prognosis, access to empathetic care, and quality of life issues. They emphasize the need for collaboration between researchers, patients, and advocacy groups to reset the research agenda effectively.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
RELEASE DATE:
White Paper/Brief
Director of the Health Equity Core at Harvard Medical School, Professor Sprague Martinez has organized a team of partners to identify the impact of long COVID on Black and Latinx communities in Massachusetts and barriers they experience in accessing treatment. The project is part of the Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness, which aims to address the challenges of COVID-19 and future pandemics. The Health Equity Core focuses on understanding the impact of long COVID on diverse communities, increasing access to treatment and resources, and influencing relevant policies. The team includes partners from various institutions and will emphasize community engagement, data collection, dissemination, and policy advocacy efforts.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
RELEASE DATE:
Summary Report/Recommendations
This report outlines a framework for supporting people with long COVID through increased public awareness, accommodations within the school and workplace, research, and advocacy. It emphasizes a person-centered approach to designing this framework and understanding the lived experiences of people with long COVID. As such, recommendations focus on areas identified to be of greatest importance to the community, rather than clinical researchers.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
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Peer Review Study
This analysis identifies risk factors and socio-economic impacts of long COVID with a public health lens. It notes that more analysis is needed, but encourages the impacts of long COVID to be seen within a larger social, and not just medical, context. Workplace and family structure implications are substantial. Long COVID should be tracked as distinct condition using person-centered research techniques that include traditionally underrepresented populations such as children.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
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White Paper/Brief
This resource lists tips for how to support people experiencing post-COVID conditions such as long COVID. Guidance includes compassionate listening, stress mitigation techniques, and referring people to external resources. Support groups for post-COVID conditions such as long COVID are listed in this resource.
Novel Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and are in the process of generating evidence of effectiveness or may not yet be tested.
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White Paper/Brief
This article discusses the development of the Visible app, which uses wearables or smart watches to help measure and manage long COVID. Visible helps to manage long COVID and other chronic fatigue diseases with a heartrate-monitored guidance strategy that emphasizes pacing as long COVID patients return to physical activity.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
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Case Study
A UK-based program gradually increased physical activity among people suffering from long COVID. Physical activity regimes were established by clinicians and gradually increased in intensity over six weeks. Over the course of the program, significant reductions in episodes of “crashing” and symptoms of breathlessness and headaches were reported by participants.