SEQUELAE OF COVID-19 AFTER HOSPITAL DISCHARGE: PROTOCOL FOR IMPLEMENTING A TELEPHONE SURVEY

Resumen

Objective: Given the limited evidence on the persistent effects of COVID-19, this article aims to present the research implementation protocol for monitoring the complications of COVID-19 infection in survivors of hospitalization in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Methodology: Prospective cohort study of adult patients after hospital discharge due to SARS-Cov-2 infection. Patients whose hospital discharge occurred between August 2021 and February 2022 were included. The study population was monitored over a period of 6 months. During this period, the interviews were carried out through a telephone survey with the application of a questionnaire, previously validated, and based on a literature review on instruments and scales for assessing post-COVID-19 clinical conditions. Results: The systematization of the protocol research is essential to promote the reproducibility of the implementation design in similar studies focused on sequelae related to COVID-19. The implementation of field work involved the following steps: (i) selection, recruitment and training of field interviewers (ii) pilot study, (iii) research implementation and cohort follow-up and (iv) monitoring of the quality of the study. Conclusion: The findings of this study are expected to expand the scientific evidence base on research protocols related to the effects of the disease in the Brazilian population, as well as assist in the management of long COVID, especially in clinical and community settings. This research has shown that continuous longitudinal follow-up is critical to better characterize the natural history and pathogenesis of the long-term health consequences of COVID-19.