{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,24]],"date-time":"2026-06-24T16:47:17Z","timestamp":1782319637210,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,24]],"date-time":"2026-06-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782259200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":23,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"German Federal Ministry of Health","award":["2524FSB024"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2524FSB024"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,8]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, both as carers and as patients. Many individuals developed persistent symptoms following an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, known as post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS). Previous research indicates that a significant proportion of HCWs experience long-lasting and debilitating symptoms of PCS. The aim of this study is to investigate the longitudinal symptom burden as well as the care pathways and treatment experiences of PCS-affected HCWs insured by the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for Health and Welfare.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods and analysis<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      The study uses a mixed-methods approach. The longitudinal survey will extend a cohort study of n=2436 HCWs (started in 2023) affected by PCS, adding two measurement points, set in 2025 (T\n                      <jats:sub>3<\/jats:sub>\n                      ) and 2026 (T\n                      <jats:sub>4<\/jats:sub>\n                      ). Additionally, interviews on care pathways and treatment experiences will be conducted with a subsample of n=60 PCS-affected HCWs. Another subsample of n=30 HCWs will be asked to participate in ecological momentary assessments of symptom burden, emotional well-being and coping strategies. Analyses of routinely collected data by the insurance company will complement the study data. The study is supported by an advisory board comprising PCS-affected HCWs who assist with the content of both qualitative and quantitative surveys.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Ethics and dissemination<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany (LPEK-0909, 1 May 2025; amendment: LPEK-0954, 18 September 2025). The results of the study will be presented at conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Registration details<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" ext-link-type=\"uri\" xlink:href=\"https:\/\/drks.de\/search\/de\/trial\/DRKS00035957\">https:\/\/drks.de\/search\/de\/trial\/DRKS00035957<\/jats:ext-link>\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2026-117666","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,24]],"date-time":"2026-06-24T15:55:58Z","timestamp":1782316558000},"page":"e117666","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Symptom burden, care pathways and treatment experiences of healthcare workers with post-COVID-19 syndrome (SCOPE-CARE): a mixed-methods study protocol"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-2258-7411","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mirja","family":"Baumgart","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-5784-5864","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Laura","family":"Luedtke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jonas","family":"Petter","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Levente","family":"Kriston","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1881-7302","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Albert","family":"Nienhaus","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institution for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW), Hamburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Martin","family":"H\u00e4rter","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026062408551456000_16.6.e117666.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"600","DOI":"10.4103\/ijcm.IJCM_1007_20","article-title":"Burden of Predominant Psychological Reactions Among the Healthcare Workers and General Population During COVID-19 Pandemic Phase: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","volume":"46","author":"Thakur","year":"2021","journal-title":"Indian J Community Med"},{"key":"2026062408551456000_16.6.e117666.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-023-01354-5","article-title":"Depressive and anxiety symptoms in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic among physicians in hospitals: results of the longitudinal, multicenter VOICE-EgePan survey over two years","volume":"11","author":"Morawa","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Psychol"},{"key":"2026062408551456000_16.6.e117666.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19116811","article-title":"Return to Work of Healthcare Workers after SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Determinants of Physical and Mental Health","volume":"19","author":"Grazzini","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"2026062408551456000_16.6.e117666.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"857","DOI":"10.1007\/s00103-023-03738-9","article-title":"Occupational differences of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in Germany. 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