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

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.

Keywords

• Anxiety
• Cancer
• COVID-19
• Pandemic

COVID-19 Pandemisinin İlk Aylarında Kanser Hastalarında Kaygı Düzeyleri

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.

Keywords

• Anksiyete
• Kanser
• COVID-19
• Pandemi

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