Publisher's Synopsis
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted all sectors of society and the world at
large. The World Health Organization (2022) found global confirmed cases of people with
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), had reached over 536 million with over 6.3 million reported
deaths from this disease. As of April 2023, an estimated 104 million Americans had been
infected with COVID-19 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023b).
Most people who have been infected with COVID-19 recover within a few days or few
weeks after the initial infection with holistic support, treatment, rest, and gradual return to daily
activities (Greenhalgh et al., 2020). However, a significant number of people do not recover and
continue to experience enduring health problems and complications often for weeks, months, or
longer after the onset of the original virus (Ahmad et al., 2022; Blitshteyn & Whitelaw, 2021;
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022c; Chen et al., 2021; Hernandez-Romieu at al.,
2022; Sathish et al., 2021; Wong & Weitzer, 2021). According to a recent data analyzed by the
CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, about 7.5% of adults in the United States (1 in every
13 people) continue to suffer lingering symptoms of COVID-19, often referred to as "long
COVID" (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). These individuals are known as
COVID long-haulers; the long-term symptoms are collectively referred to as 'long COVID' or
post-COVID conditions (PCC) (Soriano et al., 2022).
Many long COVID patients experience persistent and potentially debilitating post-COVID
symptoms, which puts them at an increased risk for chronic medical conditions or long-term
disability due to neurological or physical impairment (CDC, 2020b; Couzin-Frankel, 2020; Office
for National Statistics, 2021). Moreover, in addition to these physical detriments, a significant
proportion struggle with mental health issues such as anxiety disorders and depression (McCorkell
et al., 2020; Schou et al., 2021; Taquet et al., 2021). This is not surprising, considering that the
acquisition of a chronic illness or disability (CID) is life-changing and can have an enormous
impact on an individual's mental health and quality of life. Given the increasing number of individuals
and their families impacted by the effects of long COVID, it is evident that this condition
requires sustained attention and research.
