{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,16]],"date-time":"2026-09-16T15:06:14Z","timestamp":1789571174668,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,16]],"date-time":"2026-09-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789516800000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":15,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100008648","name":"Pfizer Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["77606011"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["77606011"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100008648","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To qualitatively explore the lived experiences of individuals with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) in Rwanda, with the aim of informing context-appropriate interventions to improve patients\u2019 quality of life.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Design<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Qualitative, phenomenological study using in-depth interviews and thematic analysis.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Setting<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>All provinces of Rwanda, including the City of Kigali.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Participants<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Adults who tested positive for PASC during a nationwide prevalence study were purposively sampled across all study sites. A total of 30 people were interviewed before saturation was reached.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Participants\u2019 lived experiences with PASC were characterised by numerous themes. Despite describing significant life changes since their COVID-19 infection, they remained uncertain about the relationship between their ongoing symptoms and their previous COVID-19 infection. This uncertainty was worsened by healthcare providers who did not ask about COVID-19 history during consultations. Participants also described feelings of frustration and sadness caused by their inability to perform physically demanding jobs such as farming and manual labour, which had previously been their sources of income. Symptoms such as body weakness, persistent fatigue, breathlessness and memory loss contributed to financial hardship and difficulty meeting basic family needs, such as school fees and food, because participants were unable to work. For many participants, this financial pressure translated into constant fear, isolation and depression. Participants called for greater public awareness about PASC, more research into its symptoms and treatment and for healthcare providers to routinely ask patients about their previous COVID-19 infection. The results of this study also highlight the need for comprehensive approaches to address the physical, emotional and socioeconomic burden of PASC in Rwanda.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Individuals living with PASC in Rwanda face a compounded burden shaped by both the symptoms themselves and a broader environment of diagnostic uncertainty, limited specialist care and social stigma. These findings point to an urgent need for PASC-specific education for healthcare providers, public awareness initiatives and integrated psychosocial support within Rwanda\u2019s existing community health infrastructure. Future research should explore feasible approaches to address the burden of PASC in low-resource settings.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2026-117002","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,16]],"date-time":"2026-09-16T14:55:23Z","timestamp":1789570523000},"page":"e117002","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Understanding the lived experiences of individuals with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) in Rwanda: a phenomenological qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1345-4939","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Iliza Grace","family":"Ndatinya","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Kigali City, Rwanda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Simal","family":"Thind","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fernand","family":"Rwamwejo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Republic of Rwanda Ministry of Health, Kigali, Kigali City, Rwanda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026091607551229000_16.9.e117002.1","unstructured":"World Health Organization . Post COVID-19 condition (PASC). Geneva: WHO; 2025. Available: https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/post-covid-19-condition-(long-covid)"},{"key":"2026091607551229000_16.9.e117002.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2385","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMp1902028","article-title":"Misrecognition and Critical Consciousness - An 18-Month-Old Boy with Pneumonia and Chronic Malnutrition","volume":"380","author":"Carrasco","year":"2019","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"key":"2026091607551229000_16.9.e117002.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1093\/ofid\/ofae462","article-title":"Postacute Sequelae of COVID (PASC or Long COVID): An Evidenced-Based Approach","volume":"11","author":"Griffin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Open Forum Infect Dis"},{"key":"2026091607551229000_16.9.e117002.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18147383","article-title":"The Transformational Experience of Junior Nurses Resulting from Providing Care to COVID-19 Patients: From Facing Hurdles to Achieving Psychological Growth","volume":"18","author":"Yip","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"2026091607551229000_16.9.e117002.5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102652","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jiph.2025.102652","article-title":"Prevalence and risk factors for long COVID in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies","volume":"18","author":"Hu","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Infect Public Health"},{"key":"2026091607551229000_16.9.e117002.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106","DOI":"10.36922\/mi.8545","article-title":"Severity and duration of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection symptoms: Focus on physiological and cognitive effects","volume":"2","author":"Melwani","year":"2025","journal-title":"MI"},{"key":"2026091607551229000_16.9.e117002.7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-022-13035-w","article-title":"\u201cLike before, but not exactly\u201d: the Qualy-REACT qualitative inquiry into the lived experience of long COVID","volume":"22","author":"Schiavi","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"2026091607551229000_16.9.e117002.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-094487","article-title":"Experiences of stigma and access to care among long COVID patients: a qualitative study in a multi-ethnic population in the Netherlands","volume":"15","author":"Nyaaba","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"2026091607551229000_16.9.e117002.9","unstructured":"Ministry of Health Rwanda . 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