You can help to improve services for people who get COVID-19 and Long COVID in the future.
Your story and experiences of having
COVID-19 can help.
The aim of the study is to understand the experiences of people in Aotearoa New Zealand who have had COVID-19 pior to December 2021. We want to know about the impact that this has had on the health and well-being of individuals, whānau and families. We hope that the outcomes of this study will inform better support services for people with COVID-19 in the future. It’s important that the voices of all people are heard in the results.
Take part here
Surveys
There were four surveys. Each survey focused on a different aspect of particpants experience with COVID-19.
Interview
In addition to the surveys, we interviewiwed some groups of people in more detail.
The four surveys
Support and wellbeing
These questions asked about your wellbeing and support that you got, or would have liked, when you first had COVID-19
Health and health services
These questions asked about your health and the health services that you used after getting COVID-19
The Cost of COVID
These questions asked about the financial cost of COVID-19 on you, and who (if anyone) helped care for you
Long COVID/ Long term
These questions asked about symptoms that continued beyond the first month of getting COVID-19
Important resources for participants of the study
Frequently asked questions
Who can take part?
This study is open to everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand who had COVID-19 before December 2021. This includes people who had it mildly or badly, or who had it at the beginning of the pandemic or more recently. We are interested in people who had COVID-19 overseas, as well as people who caught it in Aotearoa New Zealand. You do not need to have had a positive COVID-19 test to take part; we are also interested in probable cases.
What do the surveys involve?
There are four surveys. You can complete as many as you like or are relevant to you. Each section should take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
More information on the four surveys can be found here.
What does the interview involve?
We would like to speak to around 75 people in more depth about their experience of COVID-19 and the impact it has on them and their whānau or family, and to listen to ideas about what changes could be made to health services that would have made it easier. The 75 interviews are with people from these groups only:
- Tangata Whenua | Māori
- Tangata o Te Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa | Tagata Pasifika
- Whānau Haua | People with a disability
- People who got COVID-19 at work
- Whānau or families where multiple members of their household or whare contracted COVID-19
Interviews would involve one or two researchers either coming to your home, an online interview over Zoom (or another video call option like WhatsApp or FaceTime), or arranging to meet somewhere that suits. The interview could take about an hour to an hour and a half.
Are there benefits or costs for me?
Your help will benefit people who get COVID-19 in the future. There is no cost to you for taking part.
What happens if I do not agree to this?
It is up to you if you take part or not. If you choose not to, please contact us, so that we know not to bother you again.
What happens if I do agree to take part?
Participant information is available for you to read before participating. This can be accessed in the above important resource links and will also be available at the time of completing the survey or interview. Your consent will be requested prior to participating in the study.
What will happen to my information?
Any information that we collect from you either from the survey, interview or any other health data will be stored securely. Only members of the research team will have access to the collected data.
All data will be analysed and presented in reports as summaries. No participants will be able to be identified from any of the results.
Who is funding this research?
The research is being funded by the Ministry of Health. The answers that you provide will not be shared with the Ministry of Health or any health provider.
We have more information available for those who identify with Māori, Pacific or disability communities.