{
  "abstract": "Background: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare clients were required to remain isolated at home after a positive COVID-19 test. Finland and Sweden used different strategies for supporting clients in home isolation.\n\nMethods: This qualitative study explored clients’ experiences of the support provided during home isolation. The participants (N = 27) were clients who had been in home isolation during COVID-19 infection in Finland (n = 11) and Sweden (n = 16). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants, and the material was analysed by thematic analysis.\n\nResults: The findings indicate that participants in this study who experienced home isolation described different experiences in Finland and Sweden. In Finland, participants described receiving daily calls from healthcare professionals, whereas in Sweden participants reported being directed to a national web platform where they could access health information or advice if needed. While participants in Finland described extensive contact, they paradoxically experienced more uncertainty. Conversely, participants in Sweden who were directed to a web platform, described navigating their home isolation with greater assurance and empowerment. The findings indicate that it is essential to combine both social and health-related support to effectively endure isolation.\n\nConclusion: The findings suggest that participants in this study who endured home isolation needed both health-related and social support. Participants appeared to benefit more from a well-established web platform than from daily contacts with healthcare professionals within a new and temporary service structure. Future research should explore the effectiveness of digital support interventions for clients in home isolation during crises, with a focus on client empowerment and satisfaction.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Natural and Health Sciences, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland",
    "Novia University of Applied Sciences, Vaasa, Finland",
    "Department of Caring and Ethics, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway",
    "Department of Nursing and Department of Diagnostics and Intervention, Orthopedics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden",
    "Department of Nursing, Department of Computing Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Camilla Mattjus",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7028-0931"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Linda Estman",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3324-5966"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Birgitta Olofsson",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3754-5026"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Lisbeth Fagerström",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9932-3592"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Madeleine Blusi",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1428-1950"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7svmqdhw47523.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1186/s12913-026-15231-5",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13732926/",
  "id": "7svmqdhw47523",
  "issns": [
    "1472-6963"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-026-15231-5",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2739|Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7172503740",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": "PMC13732926",
  "pmid": "42983456",
  "published": "2026-08-05",
  "publisher": "BMC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7svmqdhw47523.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-08T12:22:49Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13732926",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-026-15231-5"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2739|Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation",
      "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Support during COVID-19 home isolation – clients’ experiences from Finland and Sweden",
  "title_text": "Support during COVID-19 home isolation – clients’ experiences from Finland and Sweden",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-08T12:22:49Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7svmqdhw47523",
  "venue": "BMC Health Services Research",
  "versions": []
}