About EPOCA

What is EPOCA?

The "Evidence-based post-COVID-19 Assessment" was developed by the EPOCA working group of the Swiss Insurance Medicine (SIM). EPOCA is a needs-based tool for evaluative and accompanying screening of Long COVID symptoms with the overarching aim of coordinating treatment and rehabilitation paths as well as reintegration measures. 

EPOCA References

GENERAL FUNCTIONAL STATUS Post-Covid19  

  

Post-Covid Functional Scale (PCFS) 

Klok FA, Boon GJAM, Barco S, et al. The Post-COVID-19 Functional Status scale: a tool 

to measure functional status over time after COVID-19. Eur Respir J 2020; 56: 2001494 

 

GENERAL HEALTH  

“Gefühls-Thermometer” (%), Feeling Thermometer (EQ-5D) 

Perneger T, Combescure C, Courvoisier D. General Population Reference Values for the French Version of the EuroQol EQ-5D Health Utility Instrument. Value Health. 2010 Aug;13(5):631-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4733.2010.00727.x. Epub 2010 Apr 15. 

 

PHYSICAL 

1 Min. Sitzen-zu-Stehen Test (1 Minute Sit-to-Stand): 

 Strassmann, A., Steurer-Stey, C., Lana, K.D. et al. Population-based reference values for the 1-min sit-to-stand test. Int J Public Health 58, 949–953 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-013-0504-z 

 

Fatigue Severity Score (FSS) 

Valko PO, Bassetti CL, Bloch KE, Held U, Baumann CR. Validation of the fatigue severity scale in a Swiss cohort. Sleep. 2008 Nov;31(11):1601-7. doi: 

10.1093/sleep/31.11.1601 

 

Post-exertional malaise (PEM) - Neu 2024:

DePaul Symptom Questionnaire- (DSQ-) Short Form PEM Questionnaire 

Colter J, Holtzman C, Dudun C, Jason LA. A Brief Questionnaire to Assess Post-Exertional Malaise. Diagnostics (Basel). 2018;8(3):66. Published 2018 Sep 11. 

 

RESPIRATORY / DYSPNEA 

Fragebogen zur Atemnot (Chronic respiratory questionnaire, CRQ): 

"Puhan MA, Garcia-Aymerich J, Frey M, et al. Expansion of the prognostic assessment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the updated BODE index and the ADO index. Lancet 

. 2009 Aug 29;374(9691):704-11. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61301-5." 

 

COGNITIVE / PSYCH  

WHO-5 Wellbeing Index 

Topp CW, Østergaard SD, Søndergaard S, Bech P. The WHO-5 Well-Being Index: a systematic review of the literature. Psychother Psychosom. 2015;84(3):167-76. 

 

DemTec 

Kalbe E, Kessler J, Calabrese P, et al. DemTect: a new, sensitive cognitive screening test to support the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and early dementia. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2004;19:136–43. 

 

Kalbe E, Kessler J. DemTect. Cognitive Screening Instruments: A Practical Approach. Springer International Publishing 2016:197–208. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44775-9_8 

 

Kessler J, Fengler S, Kaesberg S, et al. DemTect 40- und DemTect 80+: Neue Auswertungsroutinen für diese Altersgruppen. Fortschritte der Neurologie Psychiatrie. 2014;82:640–5 

 

 

WORK & RECOVERY EXPECTATIONS  

Work Ability Score (WAS), single item 

Ahlstrom L, Grimby-Ekman A, Hagberg M, Dellve L. The Work Ability Index and single-item question: associations with sick leave, symptoms, and health–a prospective study of women on long-term sick leave. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2010;36(5):404–12. 

 

El Fassi M, Bocquet V, Majery N, Lair ML, Couffignal S, Mairiaux P. Work ability assessment in a worker population: comparison and determinants of Work Ability Index and Work Ability score. BMC Public Health. 2013;13:305. 

 

Recovery question 

Hayden JA, Wilson MN, Riley RD, Iles R, PincusT, Ogilvie R. Individual recovery expectations and prognosis of outcomes in non-specific low back pain: prognostic factor review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019, Issue 11. Art. No.: CD011284. 

 

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