Okanagan residents sought for COVID long-haulers study

Okanagan residents who have been living with symptoms of long COVID are needed for a new study.

UBC’s Faculty of Medicine, working with Simon Fraser University and Health Research B.C., is collecting experience data from COVID long-haulers in B.C.

Residents, who are over the age of 19 and have experienced long COVID for a minimum of three months, are invited to participate in the Long COVID Patient Experience Project as a ‘citizen scientist,’ which is a title appointed to people who self-report scientific information. Other examples of ‘citizen scientists’ are those who participate in bird counts or take water samples to contribute to the scientific processes.

A federal survey compiling information from April 1 to August 31, 2022, found 14.8 per cent of Canadians adults experienced longer-term COVID-19 symptoms. It also found 47.3 per cent of those individuals had symptoms for a year or longer. Longer symptoms were more common among females.

Symptoms of long COVID may include fatigue, coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, headaches, brain fog, ringing in the ears, general weakness, and loss of taste or smell.

The goal of the study is to learn more about the illness and enhance patient care and supports for long-haulers.

“Many people are living with long COVID and there are many questions about how best to help them recover,” said Dr. Linda Li, a professor at the University of B.C. and co-lead for the project.

“People can feel overwhelmed and isolated. They may be uncertain as to whether their symptoms are typical of others who are also living with long COVID. In addition, there are limited avenues to collect information from people living with long COVID and analyze it to guide understanding and inform potential healthcare management.”

The information compiled through the survey will also be accessible to long COVID researchers, who will be analyzing the data collected from the participants.

“Anyone who is curious about science and wants to share their experience to help themselves and others can be a citizen scientist,” added Li.

All information gathered though the study will be anonymous, and the information provided, including personal experiences and stories, will be kept confidential and safe through a secure portal.

The survey, which is open to all B.C. residents, can be found here.

The Long COVID Patient Experience Project is the second phase of a project funded by the BC Support Unit. The first phase involved collecting data from individuals on the impacts of pain.