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Research Article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people in need of care or support: protocol for a SARS-CoV-2 registry

Date Published: 2023-05-16

Abstract:
Introduction People in need of care or support are severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We lack valid data of long-term assessments. We present a register study to detect the physical and psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people in need of care or support in Bavaria, Germany. To describe the persons’ life conditions comprehensively, we assess the perspectives and needs of the respective care teams too. Results will serve as evidence-based source to manage the pandemic and long-term prevention strategies. Methods and analysis The ‘Bavarian ambulatory COVID-19 Monitor’ is a multicentre registry including a purposive sample of up to 1000 patient–participants across three study sites in Bavaria. The study group consists of 600 people in need of care with a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test. Control group 1 comprises 200 people in need of care with a negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, while control group 2 comprises 200 people with a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test but are not in need of care. We assess the clinical course of infection, psychosocial aspects and care needs using validated measures. Follow-up is every 6 months for up to 3 years. Additionally, we assess up to 400 people linked to these patient–participants (caregivers, general practitioners (GPs)) for their health and needs. Main analyses are stratified by level of care I–V (I=minor/V=most severe impairment of independence), inpatient/outpatient care setting, sex and age. We use descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse cross-sectional data and changes over time. In qualitative interviews with 60 stakeholders (people in need of care, caregivers, GPs, politicians), we explore interface problems of different functional logics, of everyday and professional perspectives. Ethics and dissemination The Institutional Review Board of the University Hospital LMU Munich (#20-860) and the study sites (Universities of Wurzburg and Erlangen) approved the protocol. We disseminate the results by peer-reviewed publications, international conferences, governmental reports, etc.

Introduction:
By February 2022, the WHO noted 433?million cases and almost six million deaths from COVID-19. Many COVID-19 survivors will be affected by long-lasting and debilitating sequelae. 1 One of the most vulnerable and affected groups by the COVID-19 pandemic are people in need of care or support, including older and frail people. 2–6 In Germany, until end of 2022, people aged 60 years and older accounted for more than two-thirds (71.4%) of COVID-19 cases in old people’s and nursing homes, 7 and in the first year of the…

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