Abstract
Objective: Post COVID-19 condition is characterized by persistent symptoms after COVID-19 with yet unknown etiology. To explore whether media-related nocebo effects potentially contribute to post COVID-19 condition, we studied in an observational cohort whether frequencies of media coverage of symptoms after COVID-19 corresponded with prevalence rates of these symptoms in participants from a general population cohort diagnosed with COVID-19.
Methods: Prevalence rates and typology of symptoms after COVID-19 in the general population (N N = 4231), adjusted for prevalence rates in a matched non-infected control population (n n = 8462) were calculated by using data on 23 symptoms from the Lifelines COVID-19 Cohort collected between March 2020 and August 2021. Media coverage of post COVID-19 condition was assessed by coding 1266 Dutch post COVID-19-related news articles (inter-rater-kappa >= 0.75), published during the corresponding timeframe. Herein, we assessed whether the same 23 symptoms were mentioned as being related to post COVID-19 condition.
Results: Core post COVID-19 condition symptoms were mentioned in 390 (30.8%) articles. Five of the ten core symptoms were mentioned by 10 or fewer articles. Ageusia/anosmia was most often persistently increased in COVID-19-positive participants (7.6%), yet was mentioned in 80 (6.3%) articles. General tiredness and breathing difficulties were frequently mentioned, in 23.9% and 17.1% of the articles respectively, while these were not the most frequently increased symptoms reported by participants (4.9% and 2.4%).
Conclusion: If post COVID-19 condition was predominantly attributable to nocebo effects, its symptom profile would be expected to reflect levels of media coverage for symptoms after COVID-19. However, our findings do not support this.
Methods: Prevalence rates and typology of symptoms after COVID-19 in the general population (N N = 4231), adjusted for prevalence rates in a matched non-infected control population (n n = 8462) were calculated by using data on 23 symptoms from the Lifelines COVID-19 Cohort collected between March 2020 and August 2021. Media coverage of post COVID-19 condition was assessed by coding 1266 Dutch post COVID-19-related news articles (inter-rater-kappa >= 0.75), published during the corresponding timeframe. Herein, we assessed whether the same 23 symptoms were mentioned as being related to post COVID-19 condition.
Results: Core post COVID-19 condition symptoms were mentioned in 390 (30.8%) articles. Five of the ten core symptoms were mentioned by 10 or fewer articles. Ageusia/anosmia was most often persistently increased in COVID-19-positive participants (7.6%), yet was mentioned in 80 (6.3%) articles. General tiredness and breathing difficulties were frequently mentioned, in 23.9% and 17.1% of the articles respectively, while these were not the most frequently increased symptoms reported by participants (4.9% and 2.4%).
Conclusion: If post COVID-19 condition was predominantly attributable to nocebo effects, its symptom profile would be expected to reflect levels of media coverage for symptoms after COVID-19. However, our findings do not support this.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 111886 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Journal of Psychosomatic Research |
Volume | 186 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Nov 2024 |
Keywords
- COVID-19
- Nocebo effect
- Post COVID-19 condition