RESUMEN
Objective This pilot examined the effect of online peer support on mental health problems among individuals with post-acute sequelae of COVID-2019 (PASC).Methods A single-arm pre-post design of online peer support design consisting of eight sessions of 1 h per week with three to six participants and two facilitators per group was performed. Participants were recruited from online communities, social media, and medical clinics for the PASC between May and August 2023. The degrees of depression, anxiety, loneliness, social withdrawal, and self-esteem were measured pre- and post-intervention. Participants’ statements during the sessions were analyzed using thematic analyses.Results Of the 18 participants, 3 dropped out of the interventions, and 17 (including 2 participants who dropped out) completed the pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Depression severity significantly decreased in the paired t-test and linear mixed model. The following interactions were extracted: conveying the same feelings, dealing with difficulties, showing empathy, enhancing the atmosphere, and adapting to suit health conditions. Impressions extracted from participating in the interventions included feelings of emotional support, a sense of bonding, changes in perspective, changes in behaviors or new actions through participation, inadequacy during sessions, and adverse effects associated with participation.Conclusion Online peer support may be helpful in treating depression in individuals with PASC.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Trastornos de Ansiedad , Trastorno DepresivoRESUMEN
Background Psychosocial burdens of the post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) are an emerging public health concern. Online peer support is expected to be effective in improving the mental health of PASC patients. However, the effectiveness of these treatments remains unclear. This study investigated the effectiveness of online peer support for improving the mental health of PASC patients.Methods We searched the MEDLINE, PsycINFO/PsycArticles, and Japan Medical Abstracts Society electronic databases for studies on June 12, 2023. The inclusion criteria for studies were as follows: 1) patients with post-COVID-19 conditions over 18 years of age; 2) conducted online peer support exposure or intervention; 3) measured mental health-related outcomes using quantity scales; and 4) peer-reviewed original articles written in English or Japanese. We excluded qualitative studies that did not use quantitative scales to measure outcomes and original peer-reviewed articles. We conducted risk of bias assessments with the Risk of Bias Assessment instrument designed for non-randomized studies (RoBANS).Results A total of 157 studies were retrieved, and two met the inclusion criteria. The total numbers of participants in the two studies were 239 and 47, respectively. One was a cohort study, and the other was a pre-post study; neither had a control group. Most participants in both studies were middle-aged women or female from high-income European countries. Exposure or intervention included sharing sources of support (e.g., experiences, knowledge, and expertise) and peer support combined with workshops for the self-management of physical and mental health facilitated by trained medical experts. The effectiveness of online peer support on mental health outcomes was also assessed. Two studies reported significant improvements in work productivity, functional status, quality of life, self-efficacy, and well-being. Both studies were rated as high or unclear in most risk-of-bias domains. No meta-analysis was performed because of the small number of included studies.Conclusions Few studies examine online peer support for improving mental health-related outcomes among PASC patients, and evidence of its effectiveness is unclear. Well-designed studies are required to conduct meta-analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of online peer support for PASC patients.