Digital interventions in Long COVID: A new frontier in managing cognitive and psychological symptoms.

Sandra León-Herrera, Raquel Gómez-Bravo, Ana Luísa-Neves, Marta Sánchez-Castro, Vinicius Jobim Fischer, Mª Pilar Rodríguez-Pérez, Djenna Humacher, Reham Aldakhil, Marina Vaillancourt De Dios, Rosa Magallón-Botaya, Bárbara Oliván-Blázquez

Keywords: Long COVID; cognitive symptoms; psychological symptoms; digital interventions; primary care; scoping review

Background:

Long COVID (LC) poses a significant health challenge, with cognitive and psychological symptoms such as brain fog, memory deficits, and mood disorders impacting patients' quality of life. Digital interventions, including teletherapy, mobile apps, and virtual reality platforms, are being explored as scalable solutions to manage these symptoms, particularly given the limitations of in-person care. A comprehensive review is needed to guide healthcare providers on available digital tools and identify gaps in the literature.

Research questions:

What digital interventions are available and effective for managing cognitive and psychological symptoms in individuals with LC?
What evidence supports the efficacy of these interventions in improving cognitive and psychological outcomes in LC patients?

Method:

This scoping review will assess digital interventions for cognitive and psychological symptoms in LC. A thorough literature search (2020 onwards) will be conducted using databases like Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, along with grey literature sources. The review will include studies on digital interventions addressing these symptoms in LC patients. Data extraction will cover intervention types, outcomes, and study limitations. A narrative synthesis will summarize the evidence and highlight research gaps. The review is in its protocol development phase, with completion expected by April 2025.

Results:

While results are not yet available, the review aims to provide a detailed overview of digital interventions, emphasizing their effectiveness and scalability, particularly in primary care settings. Preliminary findings will be presented at a conference, highlighting the most promising digital solutions for managing long COVID’s cognitive and psychological symptoms.

Conclusions:

The review aims to equip healthcare professionals with an evidence-based overview of digital solutions for cognitive and psychological symptoms of LC. It will underscore the potential of digital interventions to enhance accessibility and support primary care providers in delivering comprehensive care. The findings will guide future clinical practices and research efforts to address gaps in the literature.

Points for discussion:

The role of digital interventions in primary care for managing Long COVID.

Barriers to the adoption of digital health solutions in clinical practice.

Future directions for research into digital interventions for Long COVID, including the need for randomized controlled trials

#77