York Trial Unit, Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK.
School of Primary Care, Population Sciences and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Health Expect. 2024 Oct;27(5):e70047. doi: 10.1111/hex.70047.
Organised by the 'Qualitative Long Covid Network', a workshop for qualitative Long COVID (LC) researchers, LC charity representatives and people with LC took place in June 2023, where research on the intersectional inequalities affecting LC prevalence, recognition and care was shared and discussed.
Five key themes were drawn up from presentations, discussions and reflections during the workshop, which are presented in this study.
The following five themes are discussed: the unfairness of LC, difficulties in accessing care, mistrust of the healthcare system, a lack of understanding of LC and experiences of stigma and discrimination. Factors that widen or narrow inequalities related to LC were identified.
A call to action is proposed to investigate and address inequalities through a robust LC research agenda that speaks with conviction to policy and decision-makers. We argue that there needs to be a strong investment in research and evidence-based policy and practice to mitigate the worst effects of the condition and address the inequalities in experience, treatment and support, which are experienced more often and more acutely by some of society's most vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals.
PATIENT AND PUBLIC (PPI) CONTRIBUTION: Projects included in this article had PPI ongoing activity to inform their research. A member of the CONVALESCENCE PPI group presented at the QLC Network 'Long Covid and Health Inequalities' workshop, as did members of Long COVID Kids, Long COVID Support and Long COVID SOS charities. They were all invited to be co-authors of this article.
由“定性长新冠网络”组织的一次定性长新冠（LC）研究人员、LC 慈善机构代表和 LC 患者参加的研讨会于 2023 年 6 月举行，会上分享和讨论了关于影响 LC 患病率、认知和护理的交叉不平等的研究。
从研讨会的演示、讨论和反思中提炼出五个关键主题，本研究对此进行了介绍。
讨论了以下五个主题：LC 的不公平性、获得护理的困难、对医疗保健系统的不信任、对 LC 的缺乏理解以及耻辱和歧视的经历。确定了与 LC 相关的不平等因素的扩大或缩小。
呼吁通过一项强有力的 LC 研究议程来调查和解决不平等问题，该议程以坚定的信念向政策制定者和决策者发言。我们认为，需要对研究进行强有力的投资，并制定基于证据的政策和实践，以减轻该病症的最坏影响，并解决在经验、治疗和支持方面的不平等，这些不平等在社会中最脆弱和弱势的个人中更为常见和更为严重。
患者和公众（PPI）的贡献：本文所包含的项目有持续的 PPI 活动来为他们的研究提供信息。CONVALESCENCE PPI 小组的一名成员在 QLC 网络“长新冠和健康不平等”研讨会上发言，Long COVID Kids、Long COVID Support 和 Long COVID SOS 慈善机构的成员也是如此。他们都被邀请成为本文的共同作者。
