Using co-design methods to develop new personalised support for people living with Long Covid: The 'LISTEN'...

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Patient and Public Involvement
• Complex Interventions

Background:

• Long Covid (LC) presents varied, relapsing-remitting symptoms, necessitating personalized management strategies.
• The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends supported self-management for Long Covid.
• Existing self-management approaches like 'Bridges Self-Management' emphasize healthcare professional training and co-designed resources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, personalized support intervention for individuals experiencing Long Covid symptoms.
• To utilize a structured co-design framework, incorporating patient and healthcare professional experiences.
• To guide the replication and evaluation of the developed intervention.

Main Methods:

• Employed an accelerated Experience-Based Co-Design methodology.
• Recruited adults (18+) self-identifying with or recovered from Long Covid in England or Wales, and experienced healthcare professionals (HCPs).
• Conducted small co-design group meetings and larger mixed meetings to prioritize needs, establish principles, and generate intervention content and resources.

Main Results:

• Co-designed a book (digital and hard-copy) for 1:1 support sessions delivered by trained HCPs.
• Prioritized physical symptoms, followed by psychological and social challenges, emphasizing non-linear recovery and reconceptualizing stability.
• Formulated eight core intervention principles guiding HCP training, language, and fidelity assessments.

Conclusions:

• Developed the 'LISTEN' intervention, featuring core principles for personalized 1:1 support sessions using a co-designed book.
• The intervention leverages patient narratives and solutions to build personalized strategies and plans.
• Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness will be evaluated via a randomized controlled trial within the Framework for Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions.