Project leader

• PD Dr. Anna Levke Brütt

Project coordination

• Dr. Sanny Witt

Academic researcher

• Anna Völkel, M.Sc.

Cooperation partners

• Dr. Claas Unverferth, Rehabilitation Center Oldenburg GmbH
• PD Dr. Aike Hessel, German Pension Insurance („Deutsche Rentenversicherung“) Oldenburg – Bremen
• Dr. Natalie Schüz, German Pension Insurance („Deutsche Rentenversicherung“) Oldenburg – Bremen

Duration

• 36 months (01.07.23 - 30.06.2026)

Project funding

• The project is funded by the German Pension Insurance („Deutsche Rentenversicherung”) Oldenburg-Bremen.

Project description

Infection with the coronavirus can cause severe health consequences, known as post-COVID if they are still persistent after 12 weeks. If this endangers the ability to work, there is a claim for rehabilitation services from the German Pension Insurance („Deutsche Rentenversicherung”). The Rehabilitation Center Oldenburg developed a concept for the treatment of post-COVID patients at an early stage, which is to be evaluated and further developed in an evidence-based manner within the framework of this study.

A combined quantitative and qualitative (mixed-methods) evaluation (divided into a first and a second survey phase) is planned to assess the effectiveness and realization of the post-COVID rehabilitation concept. Qualitative individual interviews will be conducted with rehabilitation patients and staff of the neurology clinic at the rehabilitation center to learn more about the implementation of the concept. The efficiency of the rehabilitation concept will be investigated by surveying rehabilitation patients as part of the quantitative approach. The primary outcome measure is the subjective quality of life at the end of the treatment.                 

In regular meetings in the context of a quality circle with the participation of the Rehabilitation Center Oldenburg and the German Pension Insurance Oldenburg-Bremen, qualitative and quantitative interim results are reported back and the post-COVID concept is further developed against the background of additional current research results.

Conference presentations (project Post-COVID rehabilitation)

• Witt, S., Völkel, A., Noll, D.L., Brütt, A.L. Eine Übersicht über das Post-COVID-Rehabilitationsangebot in Niedersachsen. Poster präsentiert auf dem 33. Rehawissenschaftlichen Kolloquium 2024 in Bremen.