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COVID-19 Pandemisinin İlk Aylarında Kanser Hastalarında Kaygı Düzeyleri

Year 2023, Volume: 13 Issue: 1, 87 - 92, 20.01.2023
https://doi.org/10.33631/sabd.1158643

Abstract

Amaç: COVID-19, yaşadığımız çağın en büyük sağlık krizi olmaya devam etmektedir. Bu pandeminin psikolojik ve fiziksel rahatsızlıklara yol açacağı aşikardır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, kanserli hastalarda COVID-19 pandemisinin neden olduğu anksiyete sıklığını ve bunu etkileyebilecek faktörleri araştırmaktır.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmamız, polikliniğimize başvuran 235 kanser hastasını içeren gözlemsel, tek merkezli bir çalışmadır. Hastaların anksiyete düzeylerini değerlendirmek için Türkçe geçerliliği olan "Genelleştirilmiş Anksiyete Bozukluğu-7" anket formu tercih edildi. Ayrıca hastalara gün içinde COVID-19 hakkında ne kadar düşündükleri soruldu.
Bulgular: Kanser hastalarının üçte birinden fazlasının COVID-19 nedeniyle yüksek ve şiddetli anksiyete düzeyleri vardı. Metastatik hastalığı olan hastalarda şiddetli anksiyete anlamlı olarak daha yüksekti (p<0,001). Ek olarak, ECOG-PS 0-1'e kıyasla ECOG-PS 2-3 olan hastalarda şiddetli anksiyete oranı daha yüksekti (p<0,001). COVID-19'u günde 3 saatten fazla düşünenlerin ciddi anksiyete puanları vardı (p<0,001). Hastaların yaşı, cinsiyeti, eğitim durumu ile COVID-19'a odaklanma zamanı arasında ve anksiyete düzeyleri arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmadı (sırasıyla; p=0,754, p=0,283, p=0,276 ve p=0,689, p=0,628, p=0,626). Bununla birlikte, hastaların yaklaşık üçte ikisi (%66,40) COVID-19'dan farklı konular hakkında daha fazla endişe duyuyordu.
Sonuç: Çalışmamızda, ankete katılan kanser hastalarının çoğu, özellikle metastatik hastalığı ve düşük performans durumu olan hastalar, hem COVID-19 enfeksiyonu hem de aktif kanser tedavilerinin ertelenmesi konusunda önemli ölçüde endişe duymuştur. Özellikle bu gruptaki hastalara daha dikkatli psikolojik destek sağlanmalıdır.

Supporting Institution

Yok

Project Number

2020/112

References

  • Shigemura J, Ursano RJ, Morganstein JC, Kurosawa M, Benedek DM. Public responses to the novel 2019 coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Japan: Mental health consequences and target populations. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. 2020; 74(4): 281-2.
  • Lu R, Zhao X, Li J, Niu P, Yang B, Wu H et al. Genomic characterisation and epidemiology of 2019 novel coronavirus: implications for virus origins and receptor binding. Lancet. 2020; 395(10224): 565-74.
  • World Health Organization (2021). Update on Omicron [online]. https://www.who.int/news/item/28-11-2021-update-on-omicron [accessed 28 November 2021].
  • Lee AM, Wong JG, McAlonan GM, Cheung V, Cheung C, Sham PC et al. Stress and psychological distress among SARS survivors 1 year after the outbreak. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2007; 52(4): 233-40.
  • Huang Y., Zhao N. Generalized anxiety disorder, depressive symptoms and sleep quality during COVID-19 outbreak in China: a web-based cross-sectional survey. Psychiatry Research. 2020; 288: 112954.
  • Liang W, Guan W, Chen R, Wang W, Li J, Xu K et al. Cancer patients in SARS-CoV-2 infection: a nationwide analysis in China. Lancet Oncology. 2020; 21(3): 335-7.
  • Nikbakhsh N, Moudi S, Abbasian S, Khafri S. Prevalence of depression and anxiety among cancer patients. Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine. 2014; 5(3): 167-70.
  • Greer JA, Pirl WF, Park ER, Lynch TJ, Temel JS. Behavioral and psychological predictors of chemotherapy adherence in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2008; 65(6): 549-52.
  • Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JB, Löwe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2006; 166(10): 1092-7.
  • Konkan R, Şenormancı Ö, Güçlü O, Aydın E, Sungur MZ. Validity and Reliability Study for the Turkish Adaptation of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) Scale. Archives of Neuropsychiatry. 2013; 50(1): 53-8.
  • World Health Organization (2020). Current novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak [online]. https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus [accessed 4 January 2020].
  • Berard RM. Depression and anxiety in oncology: the psychiatrist's perspective. J Clin Psychiatry. 2001; 62 Suppl 8: 58-63.
  • Zhang L, Zhu F, Xie L, Wang C, Wang J, Chen R et al. Clinical characteristics of COVID-19-infected cancer patients: a retrospective case study in three hospitals within Wuhan, China. Annals of Oncology. 2020; 31(7): 894-901.
  • Tonev I, Conev NV, Valev SS, Panayotova T, Karanikolova T, Donev I. Fast time estimation to predict levels of anxiety in cancer patients. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2019; 37: 15_suppl. Abtract e23162.
  • Esser P, Hartung TJ, Friedrich M, Johansen C, Wittchen HU, Faller H et al. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7) and the anxiety module of the Hospital and Depression Scale (HADS-A) as screening tools for generalized anxiety disorder among cancer patients. Psychooncology. 2018; 27(6): 1509-16.
  • Stark DP, House A. Anxiety in cancer patients. British Journal of Cancer. 2000; 83(10): 1261-7.
  • Vodermaier A, Linden W, MacKenzie R, Greig D, Marshall C. Disease stage predicts post-diagnosis anxiety and depression only in some types of cancer. British Journal of Cancer. 2011; 105(12): 1814-7.
  • Huang Y, Zhao N. Generalized anxiety disorder, depressive symptoms and sleep quality during COVID-19 outbreak in China: a web-based cross-sectional survey. Psychiatry Research. 2020; 288: 112954.
  • Sigorski D, Sobczuk P, Osmola M, Kuć K, Walerzak A, Wilk M et al. Impact of COVID-19 on anxiety levels among patients with cancer actively treated with systemic therapy. ESMO Open. 2020; 5(5): e000970.
  • Wang C, Pan R, Wan X, Tan Y, Xu L, Ho CS et al. Immediate psychological responses and associated factors during the initial stage of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic among the general population in China. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020; 17(5): 1729.

Anxiety Levels in Cancer Patients during the First Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Year 2023, Volume: 13 Issue: 1, 87 - 92, 20.01.2023
https://doi.org/10.33631/sabd.1158643

Abstract

Aim: COVID-19 remains the biggest health crisis in the age we live in. It is obvious that this pandemic will cause psychological and physical disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate the frequency of anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with cancer and the factors that may affect it.
Material and Methods: This is an observational, single-center study involving 235 cancer patients admitted to our outpatient clinic. The Turkish validated "Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7" questionnaire form was preferred to evaluate patients' anxiety levels. We also asked patients how long they thought about COVID-19 during the day.
Results: More than one-third of the cancer patients had high and severe anxiety levels because of COVID-19. Severe anxiety was significantly higher in patients with metastatic disease (p<0.001). In addition, the rate of severe anxiety was higher in patients with ECOG-PS 2-3 versus ECOG-PS 0-1 (p<0.001). Those who thought about COVID-19 for more than 3 hours per day had severe anxiety scores (p<0.001). There was no significant relationship between the age, gender or educational status of the patients with the time to focus on COVID-19 and anxiety levels (respectively; p=0.754, p=0.283, p=0.276 and p=0.689, p=0.628, p=0.626). However, approximately two-thirds of patients (66.40%) were more concerned about different issues than COVID-19.
Conclusion: In our study, most cancer patients surveyed were significantly concerned about both COVID-19 infection and delaying active cancer treatments, especially for patients with metastatic disease and poor performance status. In particular, patients in this group should be provided with more careful psychological support.

Project Number

2020/112

References

  • Shigemura J, Ursano RJ, Morganstein JC, Kurosawa M, Benedek DM. Public responses to the novel 2019 coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Japan: Mental health consequences and target populations. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. 2020; 74(4): 281-2.
  • Lu R, Zhao X, Li J, Niu P, Yang B, Wu H et al. Genomic characterisation and epidemiology of 2019 novel coronavirus: implications for virus origins and receptor binding. Lancet. 2020; 395(10224): 565-74.
  • World Health Organization (2021). Update on Omicron [online]. https://www.who.int/news/item/28-11-2021-update-on-omicron [accessed 28 November 2021].
  • Lee AM, Wong JG, McAlonan GM, Cheung V, Cheung C, Sham PC et al. Stress and psychological distress among SARS survivors 1 year after the outbreak. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2007; 52(4): 233-40.
  • Huang Y., Zhao N. Generalized anxiety disorder, depressive symptoms and sleep quality during COVID-19 outbreak in China: a web-based cross-sectional survey. Psychiatry Research. 2020; 288: 112954.
  • Liang W, Guan W, Chen R, Wang W, Li J, Xu K et al. Cancer patients in SARS-CoV-2 infection: a nationwide analysis in China. Lancet Oncology. 2020; 21(3): 335-7.
  • Nikbakhsh N, Moudi S, Abbasian S, Khafri S. Prevalence of depression and anxiety among cancer patients. Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine. 2014; 5(3): 167-70.
  • Greer JA, Pirl WF, Park ER, Lynch TJ, Temel JS. Behavioral and psychological predictors of chemotherapy adherence in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2008; 65(6): 549-52.
  • Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JB, Löwe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2006; 166(10): 1092-7.
  • Konkan R, Şenormancı Ö, Güçlü O, Aydın E, Sungur MZ. Validity and Reliability Study for the Turkish Adaptation of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) Scale. Archives of Neuropsychiatry. 2013; 50(1): 53-8.
  • World Health Organization (2020). Current novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak [online]. https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus [accessed 4 January 2020].
  • Berard RM. Depression and anxiety in oncology: the psychiatrist's perspective. J Clin Psychiatry. 2001; 62 Suppl 8: 58-63.
  • Zhang L, Zhu F, Xie L, Wang C, Wang J, Chen R et al. Clinical characteristics of COVID-19-infected cancer patients: a retrospective case study in three hospitals within Wuhan, China. Annals of Oncology. 2020; 31(7): 894-901.
  • Tonev I, Conev NV, Valev SS, Panayotova T, Karanikolova T, Donev I. Fast time estimation to predict levels of anxiety in cancer patients. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2019; 37: 15_suppl. Abtract e23162.
  • Esser P, Hartung TJ, Friedrich M, Johansen C, Wittchen HU, Faller H et al. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7) and the anxiety module of the Hospital and Depression Scale (HADS-A) as screening tools for generalized anxiety disorder among cancer patients. Psychooncology. 2018; 27(6): 1509-16.
  • Stark DP, House A. Anxiety in cancer patients. British Journal of Cancer. 2000; 83(10): 1261-7.
  • Vodermaier A, Linden W, MacKenzie R, Greig D, Marshall C. Disease stage predicts post-diagnosis anxiety and depression only in some types of cancer. British Journal of Cancer. 2011; 105(12): 1814-7.
  • Huang Y, Zhao N. Generalized anxiety disorder, depressive symptoms and sleep quality during COVID-19 outbreak in China: a web-based cross-sectional survey. Psychiatry Research. 2020; 288: 112954.
  • Sigorski D, Sobczuk P, Osmola M, Kuć K, Walerzak A, Wilk M et al. Impact of COVID-19 on anxiety levels among patients with cancer actively treated with systemic therapy. ESMO Open. 2020; 5(5): e000970.
  • Wang C, Pan R, Wan X, Tan Y, Xu L, Ho CS et al. Immediate psychological responses and associated factors during the initial stage of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic among the general population in China. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020; 17(5): 1729.
There are 20 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Clinical Sciences
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Seher Nazlı Kazaz 0000-0002-8181-000X

Atila Yıldırım 0000-0002-6067-5646

Project Number 2020/112
Publication Date January 20, 2023
Submission Date August 6, 2022
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 13 Issue: 1

Cite

Vancouver Kazaz SN, Yıldırım A. Anxiety Levels in Cancer Patients during the First Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic. VHS. 2023;13(1):87-92.