A longitudinal evaluation of the community-based rehabilitation support programme for Post-COVID-19 condition in Hong Kong

Eight non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Hong Kong participated in a one-year pilot programme delivering community-based multidisciplinary rehabilitation services for individuals with Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC). This study evaluated the programme’s performance across three NGOs, focusing on improvements in patient-reported outcomes and recovery trajectories, and exploring associations with sociodemographic characteristics and service utilisation. A prospective longitudinal survey was conducted between November 2022 and July 2023. Health outcomes were assessed using the Modified COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale (C19-YRSm) at baseline, immediately post-service, and three months post-service. Sociodemographic and service utilisation data were also collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the potential predictors for significant clinical improvements. Of the 1,655 recruited participants, 623 completed all three assessments. Statistically significant improvements were observed in 16 out of 17 outcome measures regarding symptom severity, functional disability, and overall health scores. Despite these improvements, participants did not fully return to their self-reported pre-COVID-19 health status. Regression analyses revealed that younger participants and those with more severe symptoms prior to service were more likely to exhibit substantial clinical improvements across multiple domains immediately and three months after service utilisation. This community-based PCC multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme in Hong Kong yielded significant improvements in health outcomes, though complete recovery was not achieved. Despite the lack of a control group, our findings underscored the potential effectiveness of person-centred, case-managed, and multidisciplinary rehabilitation packages.