Psychological and physical exercises digitally instructed can improve the health of post- and long-COVID patients. These findings were confirmed in a current meta-analysis by a team led by Sonia Lippke, professor of health psychology and behavioral medicine at Constructor University in Bremen. The results were recently published in the prestigious Journal of Medical Internet Research.
Services for those affected by post- and long-COVID are limited: lengthy waiting periods are common and make it even harder to get support. "E-health," the use of information and communication technologies such as smartphones, tablets or PCs, can help to close treatment gaps and relieve the strain on the healthcare system in general. "Digital medicine offers great potential, especially for people who live in rural areas or with limited mobility," said Lippke. "It can help improve their functionality."
For people with long-COVID, symptoms occur over a period of four weeks after infection, with post-COVID, symptoms maintain after three months. They include persistent fatigue, breathing difficulties, concentration problems and depressive moods. Here, digitized interventions provide support with individualized therapy offerings, ideally accompanied by healthcare professionals. These can include exercise programs, relaxation and breathing exercises, or even medical lectures and consultations.
However, the number of evidence-based studies on digital interventions is rather small. Sonia Lippke's team found only eight original studies that met the inclusion criteria. "We need many more systematic studies of the effects," Lippke said. She is also conducting her own practical research of a better care concept for those affected: as part of the "ASAP" project (Assisted Immediate Augmented Post-/long-COVID Plan), led by the Dr. Becker Clinic Group and carried out in collaboration with Dr. Alina Dahmen, the aim is to find out optimal care approaches. The Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety is funding the project.
Sonia Lippke also explains how people can digitally be encouraged to eat healthier in the recently published book "Digital Health Interventions." It is edited by David Daniel Ebert and Harald Baumeister. Lippke describes various methods for improving nutritional behavior and promoting health and well-being.
Link to article:
Digital Interventions for Treating Post-COVID or Long-COVID Symptoms: Scoping Review
Questions answered by:
Dr. Sonia Lippke | Professor of Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine
slippke@constructor.university | Tel.: +49 421 200-4730
About Constructor University:
An international community, vibrant and diverse. Offering academic excellence, ensuring the highest standards in research and teaching. Empowering students to solve the world's pressing challenges through knowledge and science: Constructor University is a top-ranked, English-speaking, private university. Founded in 2001, it provides a wide range of 25+ academic programs and PhD. The Constructor ecosystem comprises the University, located in Bremen, Germany, and an institute in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
Over 1.800 students from more than 110 nations on campus benefit from a unique interdisciplinary, foundational theoretical and practical education. Enriched with a buzzing entrepreneurial culture that prepares young professionals to thrive in the job market. With 6.000+ alumni worldwide, our community keeps growing – with our highest cohort ever registered in 2022.
The research-centric faculty projects are funded by the German Research Foundation and the European Union's Framework Program for Research and Innovation as well as by globally leading companies.
The Constructor ecosystem benefits from partnerships with high-ranked universities such as Carnegie Mellon, the University of Geneva or the National University of Singapore School of Computing, and technology companies such as Anisoprint, JetBrains and ChemDiv.
Constructor is a global institution dedicated to addressing the main challenges of the world through science, education, and technology. Apart from the University in Bremen, the ecosystem comprises an Institute in Schaffhausen (Switzerland) and several for-profit entities that provide technology infrastructures and solutions, life-long education programs, consulting services, and funding.