Back to life: Is it possible to be myself again? A qualitative study with persons initially hospitalised due to COVID-19.
Karin Törnbom, Marie Engwall, Hanna C Persson and 1 others
PMID 35976766WHAT IT FOUND
Six months post-hospitalization, patients valued gradual return-to-work and interdisciplinary rehab but felt abandoned as family patience waned over invisible symptoms.
Some reported post-traumatic growth, while others grieved personality changes. This highlights the need for sustained support and tailored pacing.
Key findings
01Family support was crucial early on but decreased over time, often due to frustration with slow recovery and invisible symptoms like fatigue.
02Participants valued an interdisciplinary team (psychologists, OTs, PTs) for providing tools and hope, but were dissatisfied with non-tailored or stagnant rehabilitation programs.
03Returning to work was a key goal, with gradual return and flexibility cited as successful strategies, though fears of never fully returning were common.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was small (n=15) and purposively selected from a specific region in Sweden, which may limit generalizability. All participants had persistent symptoms at 3 months, potentially selecting for a more severely affected subgroup compared to the general post-hospitalization population. The study design (qualitative) explores experiences and meanings but does not measure the efficacy of any specific intervention. Participants were interviewed approximately 6 months post-discharge, so long-term trajectories beyond this point are unknown.
Declared interests
The study was approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority. No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest are detailed in the provided text, though the authors are affiliated with rehabilitation medicine research units.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the reported 'post-traumatic growth' or gratitude as evidence that the condition resolves positively for most patients. A significant subset of participants described grief, identity loss, and ongoing struggle with invisible symptoms. The positive themes do not negate the severity of the disability experienced by others in the group.