%0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 25 %N %P e49342 %T Longitudinal Evaluation of an Integrated Post–COVID-19/Long COVID Management Program Consisting of Digital Interventions and Personal Support: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Derksen,Christina %A Rinn,Robin %A Gao,Lingling %A Dahmen,Alina %A Cordes,Cay %A Kolb,Carina %A Becker,Petra %A Lippke,Sonia %+ Health Psychology and Behavioural Medicine, Constructor University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, Bremen, 28759, Germany, 49 421 200 4730, cderksen@constructor.university %K postacute COVID-19 syndrome %K PACS %K symptom reduction %K work ability %K social participation %K personal pilots %K digital interventions %K empowerment %K randomized controlled trial %K propensity score matching %K COVID-19 %D 2023 %7 4.10.2023 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: The postacute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS) can be addressed with multidisciplinary approaches, including professional support and digital interventions. Objective: This research aimed to test whether patients who received a health care facilitation program including medical internet support from human personal pilots and digital interventions (intervention group [IG] and active control group [ACG]) would experience fewer symptoms and have higher work ability and social participation than an untreated comparison group (CompG). The second objective was to compare the impact of a diagnostic assessment and digital interventions tailored to patients’ personal capacity (IG) with that of only personal support and digital interventions targeting the main symptoms (ACG). Methods: In total, 1020 patients with PACS were recruited. Using a randomized controlled trial design between the IG and the ACG, as well as propensity score matching to include the CompG, analyses were run with logistic regression and hierarchical-linear models. Results: Symptoms decreased significantly in all groups over time (βT1-T2=0.13, t549=5.67, P<.001; βT2-T4=0.06, t549=2.83, P=.01), with a main effect of the group (β=–.15, t549=–2.65, P=.01) and a more pronounced effect in the IG and ACG compared to the CompG (between groups: βT1-T2=0.14, t549=4.31, P<.001; βT2-T4=0.14, t549=4.57, P<.001). Work ability and social participation were lower in the CompG, but there was no significant interaction effect. There were no group differences between the IG and the ACG. Conclusions: Empowerment through personal pilots and digital interventions reduces symptoms but does not increase work ability and social participation. More longitudinal research is needed to evaluate the effects of a diagnostic assessment. Social support and digital interventions should be incorporated to facilitate health care interventions for PACS. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05238415; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05238415. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.1186/s12879-022-07584-z %M 37792437 %R 10.2196/49342 %U https://www.jmir.org/2023/1/e49342 %U https://doi.org/10.2196/49342 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37792437