Cancer survivor worries about treatment disruption and detrimental health outcomes due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract
Purpose We examined cancer survivor worries about treatment, infection, and finances early in the U.S. COVID-19 pandemic. Design Closed- and open-ended online survey questions were collected from adult cancer survivors (N = 972). Methods Logistic regression identified factors associated with treatment, infection, and financial worry. Thematic qualitative analysis generated information around participants' experiences and worries related to COVID-19 and healthcare. Findings Characteristics including marital status, race/ethnicity, cancer type, time since last treatment, education, and age were associated with health and healthcare worry outcomes. Survivors commonly expressed uncertainty about future care, fears about in-person appointments, rationed COVID-19 care, recurrence due to care delays, and distress about untreated symptoms, including mental health issues. Conclusions Early in the pandemic, survivors worried about and experienced cancer care delays, COVID infection, and how the pandemic would affect their prognosis. Implications Healthcare professionals need to be aware of cancer survivors' concerns and uncertainties to provide appropriate care.
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Fear of relapse occurs in those who cannot go to their regular check-ups, and their psychological distress levels increase.
“Because fear of relapse occurs in those who cannot go to their regular check-ups, their psychological distress levels increase.[18,19]”
From Psychological Distress of Breast Cancer Survivors During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Related Factors: A Controlled Study. (2023) · cites this paper as [18]
Restriction of health needs is an important problem affecting cancer survivors during the COVID-19 period.
“One of the important problems affecting cancer survivors during the COVID-19 period is the restriction of health needs.”
From Psychological Distress of Breast Cancer Survivors During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Related Factors: A Controlled Study. (2023) · cites this paper as [18]
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- Authors
- Leach, C. R., Kirkland, E. G., Masters, M., Sloan, K., Rees-Punia, E., Patel, A. V., & Watson, L.
- Affiliations
- American Cancer Society (US)
- Department of Population Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Corresponding author
- Leach, Corinne R.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Psychosocial Oncology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2021-02-24
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 347-365
- ISSN
- 0734-7332 (ISSN-L)
- 1540-7586
- OpenAlex
- W3130138102
- Cited by
- 39
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 7
- FWCI
- 2.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Psychosocial Oncology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › COVID-19 and healthcare impacts
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Keywords
- cancer survivors, COVID-19 pandemic, treatment interruption, cancer care delays, financial worry, health care access, psychiatric distress, patient uncertainty, racial and ethnic disparities, socioeconomic factors
- MeSH terms
- Cancer Survivors, COVID-19, Adult, Aged, Anxiety, Depression, Fear, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplasms, Socioeconomic Factors, Qualitative Research
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