Determining Healthcare Seeking Behavior, Psychosocial Symptoms, and Distress Levels of Women with Gynecological or Breast Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objective: The study was conducted to determine the health-seeking behaviors, psychosocial symptoms and distress levels and related factors of women diagnosed with gynecological or breast cancer during the pandemic period. Materials and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was completed with a total of 109 women who had ovary, endometrium, cervix, vagina, vulva, or breast cancer. The study was conducted between October and December 2020, and data were collected online using an information form, Distress Thermometer and The Brief Symptom Inventory. Results: There was a decrease in the frequency of going to the hospital for diagnosis (54.8%), treatment (32.3%), and rehabilitation (58%) services during the COVID-19 pandemic process. Our study results indicated that 89% of women experienced distress, according to Distress Thermometer. The mean Brief Symptom Inventory scores were found to be statistically significantly higher in women who stated that they experienced distress, whose chemotherapy treatment was postponed, and who obtained more information from the Internet during this period. Conclusions: This study highlighted the pandemic’s impact on healthcare-seeking behaviors and distress experiences of women with gynecological or breast cancer. Our results indicate a restriction on receiving health services during this period in women. Also, our results showed that most women experienced distress.

Keywords

• Breast cancer
• COVID-19
• gynecologic neoplasms
• healthcare-seeking behavior
• psychological distress

Jinekolojik Kanser veya Meme Kanserli Kadınların COVID-19 Pandemisi Sırasında Sağlık Bakımı Arama Davranışı, Psikososyal Belirtileri ve Sıkıntı Düzeylerinin Belirlenmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı pandemi sürecinde jinekolojik veya meme kanseri tanılı kadınların sağlık arama davranışları, psikososyal semptom ile distres düzeyleri ve ilişkili faktörleri belirlemektir. Materyal ve Metot: Bu tanımlayıcı, kesitsel çalışma yumurtalık, endometrium, serviks, vajina, vulva veya meme kanseri olan toplam 109 kadınla tamamlanmıştır. Çalışma Ekim-Aralık 2020 tarihleri arasında gerçekleştirildi ve veriler bilgi formu, Distres Termometresi ve Kısa Semptom Envanteri kullanılarak çevrimiçi olarak toplandı. Bulgular: COVID-19 pandemi sürecinde hastaneye tanı (%54,8), tedavi (%32,3) ve rehabilitasyon (%58) hizmetleri için başvurma sıklığında azalma olmuştur. Çalışma sonuçlarımız, Distres Termometresi’ne göre kadınların %89'unun distres yaşadığını göstermektedir. Distres yaşadığını ifade eden, kemoterapi tedavisi ertelenen, internetten bu süre içinde daha fazla bilgi edinen kadınlarda Kısa Semptom Envanteri puan ortalamaları istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede yüksek bulunmuştur. Sonuç: Bu çalışma, pandeminin jinekolojik veya meme kanseri tanılı kadınların sağlık arama davranışları ve distres deneyimleri üzerindeki etkisini anlamaya yardımcı olmuştur. Sonuçlarımız bu dönemde kadınlarda sağlık hizmeti almada bir kısıtlama olduğunu göstermektedir. Ayrıca, sonucumuz çoğu kadının distres yaşadığını göstermektedir.

Keywords

• Meme kanseri
• Covid-19
• jinekolojik tümörler
• sağlık arama davranışı
• psikolojik sıkıntı

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