Longitudinal Evaluation of an Integrated Post–COVID-19/Long COVID Management Program Consisting of Digital Interventions and Personal Support: Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: The postacute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS) can be addressed with multidisciplinary approaches, including professional support and digital interventions. OBJECTIVE: This research aimed to test whether patients who received a health care facilitation program including medical internet support from human personal pilots and digital interventions (intervention group [IG] and active control group [ACG]) would experience fewer symptoms and have higher work ability and social participation than an untreated comparison group (CompG). The second objective was to compare the impact of a diagnostic assessment and digital interventions tailored to patients’ personal capacity (IG) with that of only personal support and digital interventions targeting the main symptoms (ACG). METHODS: In total, 1020 patients with PACS were recruited. Using a randomized controlled trial design between the IG and the ACG, as well as propensity score matching to include the CompG, analyses were run with logistic regression and hierarchical-linear models. RESULTS: Symptoms decreased significantly in all groups over time (βT1-T2=0.13, t(549)=5.67, P<.001; βT2-T4=0.06, t(549)=2.83, P=.01), with a main effect of the group (β=–.15, t(549)=–2.65, P=.01) and a more pronounced effect in the IG and ACG compared to the CompG (between groups: βT1-T2=0.14, t(549)=4.31, P<.001; βT2-T4=0.14, t(549)=4.57, P<.001). Work ability and social participation were lower in the CompG, but there was no significant interaction effect. There were no group differences between the IG and the ACG. CONCLUSIONS: Empowerment through personal pilots and digital interventions reduces symptoms but does not increase work ability and social participation. More longitudinal research is needed to evaluate the effects of a diagnostic assessment. Social support and digital interventions should be incorporated to facilitate health care interventions for PACS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05238415; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05238415. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.1186/s12879-022-07584-z