Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42076812›Full record

ArticleHealth expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy2026

'I Want Everyone to Have It, and Everyone to Be on It': A Feasibility Study of the Transforming Long Covid Intervention.

Sarahjane Belton, Hannah Goss, Enda Whyte, Noel McCaffrey, Sophie Gibney, Kate Sheridan

Abstract readEvaluation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Sarahjane BeltonSchool of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland.
Hannah GossSchool of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0002-4264-6673
Enda WhyteSchool of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0002-9458-9498
Noel McCaffreyExWell Medical, Dublin, Ireland.
Sophie GibneyExWell Medical, Dublin, Ireland.
Kate SheridanSchool of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID 0009-0006-9245-1416

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAn understanding of the nature of long Covid (LC) is evolving, with recent evidence highlighting the role of increased sympathetic activation and decreased parasympathetic response. Building upon this emerging science, the 'Transforming Long COVID' (TLC) programme was developed to support participants in their recovery by (i) introducing education on the neuroscience underpinning persistent symptoms (with a particular focus on the autonomic nervous system) and (ii) the development of self-management strategies to support recovery. The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of the TLC programme with a cohort of people significantly affected by LC.

methodsSeventeen participants took part in the 8-week TLC programme which comprised of seven content sessions and one discussion (Q&A) session. Participants completed survey scales (investigating anxiety, pain-related interference, pain catastrophising, sleep disturbance and fatigue) at baseline, immediately post-programme (at 8 weeks), and retention (at 13 weeks). Participants also took part in focus group interviews to investigate their experiences of the programme.

resultsFourteen participants (82%) attended at least six of the seven TLC content sessions. Decreases in mean values over time were observed across all measures, indicating a positive (non-significant) change. Participants reported an increase in understanding of LC, new hope for recovery, belief that they now had a realistic pathway for recovery, validation of their experiences and symptoms, meaningful improvements in function, and enhanced ability to respond to and attenuate physical symptoms. No adverse events were reported. Participants highlighted a number of programme strengths, along with some potential areas for improvement.

conclusionThe TLC programme was shown to be feasible based on engagement, adherence, acceptable completion of surveys, and no adverse events. Study findings point to the potential for this programme to be refined, trialled and evaluated with a larger sample. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Four people (living with LC, ME/CFS, chronic migraine and chronic Lyme, fibromyalgia, and centralised pain syndrome), who have experience of applying a recovery approach aligned with the TLC programme, acted in a PPI (Public and Patient Involvement in research) capacity on this study. In addition, the lead author has personal experience with the illness, and developing the recovery approach, which helped inform programme structure and development [1]. These individuals provided advice and guidance on the potential structure for the group programme, course duration, tool selection, and language and wording of the programme and materials. Further detail is provided in the Supplementary Materials.

Indexed as

Patient Acceptance of Health CarePatient Education as TopicPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeSelf-ManagementAdultAgedCommunity-Based Participatory ResearchFeasibility StudiesFemaleFocus GroupsHumansMaleMiddle AgedProgram DevelopmentProgram Evaluationautonomic dysfunctionchronic illnesspersistent physical symptomsrehabilitation

Identifiers

PMID42076812
PMCPMC13136607

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.