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One Word to Describe My Experience as a COVID-19 Survivor Six Months after Its Onset: Findings of a Qualitative Study

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Listed:
  • Alvisa Palese

    (Department of Medical Science, University of Udine, Viale Ungheria, 20-33010 Udine, Italy)

  • Maddalena Peghin

    (Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale (ASUFC), Piazzale Santa Maria della Misericordia, 15-33100 Udine, Italy)

  • Valentina Bressan

    (Department of Medical Science, University of Udine, Viale Ungheria, 20-33010 Udine, Italy)

  • Margherita Venturini

    (Department of Medical Science, University of Udine, Viale Ungheria, 20-33010 Udine, Italy)

  • Valentina Gerussi

    (Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale (ASUFC), Piazzale Santa Maria della Misericordia, 15-33100 Udine, Italy)

  • Giulia Bontempo

    (Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale (ASUFC), Piazzale Santa Maria della Misericordia, 15-33100 Udine, Italy)

  • Elena Graziano

    (Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale (ASUFC), Piazzale Santa Maria della Misericordia, 15-33100 Udine, Italy)

  • Erica Visintini

    (Department of Medical Science, University of Udine, Viale Ungheria, 20-33010 Udine, Italy)

  • Carlo Tascini

    (Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale (ASUFC), Piazzale Santa Maria della Misericordia, 15-33100 Udine, Italy)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic emotionally affected the lives of patients cared for in different settings. However, a comprehensive view of the whole experience as lived by survived patients, from the onset of the disease and over time, is substantially unknown to date. A descriptive qualitative design was implemented according to the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research. Adult patients (=1067) cared for during the first wave (March/April 2020) capable of answering an interview and willing to participate were interviewed (=397) by phone with an interview guide including open- and closed-ended questions. In this context, they were asked to summarise with a metaphor their entire COVID-19 experience at six months. Then, the emotional orientation (positive, neutral, or negative) of the metaphors expressed was identified. The participants were mainly female (206; 51.9%), with an average age of 52.6 years (CI 95% 50.4–53.6), reporting a mild severity of COVID-19 disease at the onset (261; 65.7%) and the perception of being completely healed (294; 70%) at six months. The patients summarised their experiences mainly using negative-oriented (248; 62.5%) metaphors; only 54 (13.6%) reported positive-oriented metaphors and a quarter (95; 23.95) neutral-oriented metaphors. Nearly all positive-oriented metaphors were reported by patients with symptoms at the onset (53; 98.1%), a significantly higher proportion compared to those reporting negative- (219; 88.3%) and neutral–oriented (78; 82.1%) metaphors ( p = 0.014). While no other clinical features of the disease were associated, among females, significantly more negative-oriented metaphors emerged. Moreover, neutral-oriented metaphors were reported by younger patients (49.5 years, CI 95% 64.11–52.92) as compared to those negative and positive that were reported by more mature patients (53.9; CI 95% 52.04–55.93 and 54.8; CI 95% 50.53–59.24, respectively) ( p = 0.044). Nurses and healthcare services require data to predict the long-term needs of patients. Our findings suggest that, for many patients, the COVID-19 lived experience was negative over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Alvisa Palese & Maddalena Peghin & Valentina Bressan & Margherita Venturini & Valentina Gerussi & Giulia Bontempo & Elena Graziano & Erica Visintini & Carlo Tascini, 2022. "One Word to Describe My Experience as a COVID-19 Survivor Six Months after Its Onset: Findings of a Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-14, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:9:p:4954-:d:797080
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mojtaba Vaismoradi & Hannele Turunen & Terese Bondas, 2013. "Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(3), pages 398-405, September.
    2. Carmelo Vazquez & Carmen Valiente & Felipe E. García & Alba Contreras & Vanesa Peinado & Almudena Trucharte & Richard P. Bentall, 2021. "Post-Traumatic Growth and Stress-Related Responses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a National Representative Sample: The Role of Positive Core Beliefs About the World and Others," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(7), pages 2915-2935, October.
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    1. Yu Deng & Jixue Yang & Li Wang & Yaokai Chen, 2022. "The Road Less Traveled: How COVID-19 Patients Use Metaphors to Frame Their Lived Experiences," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-18, November.

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