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The majority of people who contract COVID-19 experience a short period of symptomatic infection. However, symptoms persist for months or years following initial exposure to the virus in some cases. This has been described as long COVID. Little is known about the lived experience of this condition, as it has only recently emerged. This study aimed to explore the experiences of mental health, quality of life, and coping among people living with long COVID. A sample of 47 adults with lived experience participated in web-based focus groups. Separate focus groups were held for 24 individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions and 23 individuals without pre-existing mental health conditions. Data were analyzed using a codebook thematic analysis approach. Five themes were identified as integral to the long COVID experience: The Emotional Landscape of Long COVID, New Limits to Daily Functioning, Grief and Loss of Former Identity, Long COVID-related Stigmatization, and Learning to Cope with Persisting Symptoms. These findings illustrate the immense impact of long COVID on mental health and quality of life. Minimal differences were found between those with and those without pre-existing mental health conditions, as both groups were substantially impacted by the condition. Attention to the perspectives of people with lived experience of long COVID is necessary to inform future directions for research and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A constellation of often disabling long-term physical symptoms enduring after an acute SARS-COV-2 infection is commonly referred to as Long COVID. Since Long COVID is a new clinical entity, research is required to clarify treatment needs and experiences of individuals affected. This qualitative descriptive study aimed to provide insight into Long COVID treatment and service experiences and preferences of individuals experiencing Long COVID and the intersections with mental health. Methods: The study was conducted out of a tertiary care mental health hospital, with online recruitment from the community across Canada. A total of 47 individuals (average age = 44.9) participated in one of 11 focus groups between June and December 2022. Five focus groups were conducted with participants who had pre-existing mental health concerns prior to contracting SARS-CoV-2, and six were with people with Long COVID but without pre-existing mental health concerns. A semi-structured interview guide asked about service experiences and service preferences, including mental health and well-being services. Discussions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using codebook thematic analysis. Results: When accessing services for Long COVID, patients experienced: (1) systemic barriers to accessing care, and (2) challenges navigating the unknowns of Long COVID, leading to (3) negative impacts on patient emotional well-being and recovery. Participants called for improvements in Long COVID care, with a focus on: (1) developing Long COVID-specific knowledge and services, (2) enhancing support for financial well-being, daily living, and building a Long COVID community, and (3) improving awareness and the public representation of Long COVID. Conclusions: Substantial treatment barriers generate considerable burden for individuals living with Long COVID. There is a pressing need to improve treatment, social supports, and the social representation of Long COVID to create integrated, accessible, responsive, and ongoing support systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among patients diagnosed with COVID-19, a substantial proportion are experiencing ongoing symptoms for months after infection, known as 'long COVID'. Long COVID is associated with a wide range of physical and neuropsychological symptoms, including impacts on mental health, cognition, and psychological wellbeing. However, intervention research is only beginning to emerge. This systematic review synthesizes currently registered trials examining interventions for mental health, cognition, and psychological wellbeing in patients with long COVID. Methods: Standard systematic review guidelines were followed. Trials registered in two large trial registries in 2020 to May 2022 were reviewed. Included studies were narratively synthesized by type of intervention and a risk-of-bias assessment was conducted. Results: Forty-two registered trials were included, with a total target sample size of 5814 participants. These include 11 psychological interventions, five pharmacological and other medical interventions, and five evaluating herbal, nutritional, or natural supplement interventions. An additional nine trials are examining cognitive and neurorehabilitation interventions and 12 are examining physiotherapy or physical rehabilitation. Most trials are randomized, but many are feasibility trials; trials are evaluating a wide spectrum of outcomes. Conclusions: While there is a newly emerging body of research testing interventions for mental health, cognition, and psychological wellbeing in long COVID, the breadth and scope of the research remains limited. It is urgently incumbent on researchers to expand upon the intervention research currently under way, in order to generate high-quality evidence on a wide range of candidate interventions for diverse long COVID patient populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures elevated stress levels globally, exacerbating mental health challenges for people with HIV (PWH). We examined the effect of COVID-19-related stress on mental health among PWH in western Washington, exploring whether social support and coping self-efficacy were protective. Data on COVID-19-related stress, mental health, social support, and coping self-efficacy were collected using online surveys during the pandemic. Pre-COVID-19 mental health data were available for a subset of participants and were linked with the survey data. In the total sample (N = 373), COVID-19-stress was associated with elevated depression (PHQ-8, β = 0.21, 95%CI [0.10, 0.32]) and anxiety (GAD-7, β = 0.28, 95%CI [0.17, 0.39]). Among the subset of respondents with pre-pandemic mental health data (N = 103), COVID-19-related stress was associated with elevated PHQ-8 scores (β = 0.35, 95%CI [0.15, 0.56]) and GAD-7 scores (β = 0.35, 95%CI [0.16, 0.54]), adjusted for baseline mental health and other confounders. Coping self-efficacy was negatively associated with GAD-7 scores (β = −0.01, 95%CI [−0.01, 0.00]), while social support was negatively associated with PHQ-8 scores (β = −0.06, 95%CI [−0.12, −0.01]). Viral suppression before and during the pandemic did not differ among participants with available data. While COVID-19-related stress predicted elevated depression and anxiety symptoms among PWH, social support and coping self-efficacy were protective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes trends in the supply and the need for behavioral health professionals in Nebraska. A state-level health workforce database was used to estimate the behavioral health workforce supply and need. Compared with national estimates, Nebraska has a lower proportion of all categories of behavioral health professionals. The majority of Nebraska counties have unusually high needs for mental health professionals, with rural areas experiencing a decline in the supply of psychiatrists over the last decade. Availability of robust state-level health workforce data can assist in crafting effective policy for successful systems change, particularly for behavioral health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]