Dataset Information

Depression and anxiety in cancer patients before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: association with treatment delays.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Pandemics can be associated with anxiety and depression in cancer patients who are undergoing treatment. In the present study, we aimed to perform a comparative evaluation of the conditions of cancer patients before and during the severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) to detect the impact of the pandemic on treatment delays that are associated with anxiety and depression in cancer patients. In addition, the effect of public transport use on treatment delays was examined.

Methods

BDI and BAI were administered to 595 breast, ovarian, colon and gastric cancer patients before and during the pandemic. The questionnaires were administered by the physician blindly, who was unaware of the delay of the patients. The number of days by which the patients delayed their treatment due to the fear of contamination were recorded retrospectively. Correlation analyses were performed between the obtained scores and treatment delays.

Results

The depression and anxiety levels in cancer patients were found to increase during the pandemic (p?=?0.000), and this increase was positively correlated with the disruption of their treatment (p?=?0.000, r?=?0.81). Depression and anxiety levels and treatment delays were higher in elderly patients (p?=?0.021). Depression and anxiety were more pronounced in female patients (p?=?0.000). Moreover, treatment delays were more common in patients who had to use public transportation (p?=?0.038).

Conclusion

SARS-CoV-2 pandemic may increase anxiety and depression in cancer patients. This can cause patients to experience treatment delays due to concerns about becoming infected. At this point, if necessary, assistance should be obtained from psychiatric and public health experts.

SUBMITTER: Yildirim OA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7907665 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Depression and anxiety in cancer patients before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: association with treatment delays.

Yildirim Ozgen Ahmet OA Poyraz Kerem K Erdur Erkan E

Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation 20210226 7

<h4>Purpose</h4>Pandemics can be associated with anxiety and depression in cancer patients who are undergoing treatment. In the present study, we aimed to perform a comparative evaluation of the conditions of cancer patients before and during the severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) to detect the impact of the pandemic on treatment delays that are associated with anxiety and depre ...[more]

PMID: 33635508

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Project description:BackgroundConcerns have been raised that the COVID-19 pandemic could increase risk for adverse mental health outcomes, especially in young adults, a vulnerable age group. We investigated changes in depression and anxiety symptoms (overall and severe) from before to during the pandemic, as well as whether these changes are linked to COVID-19-related stressors and pre-existing vulnerabilities in young adults followed in the context of a population-based cohort.MethodParticipants (n = 1039) from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development reported on their depression (Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, short form) and anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale) symptoms and completed a COVID-19 questionnaire during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2020 (age 22 years). Assessments at age 20 (2018) were used to estimate pre-pandemic depression and anxiety symptom severity.ResultsWhile mean levels of depression and anxiety symptoms did not change from before to during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., the mean of depressive symptoms was 9.30 in 2018 and 9.59 in 2020), we observed a slight increase in rates of severe depression (scores ≥ 21) from before (6.1%) to during (8.2%) the pandemic. Most COVID-19-related variables (e.g., loss of education/occupation, frequent news-seeking) - except living alone - and most pre-existing vulnerabilities (e.g., low SES, low social support) were not associated with changes in depression or anxiety symptoms. However, results varied as a function of pre-pandemic levels of depression and anxiety: depression and anxiety symptoms increased among adults with the lowest levels of symptoms before the pandemic, while they decreased among those with the highest levels of symptoms, possibly reflecting a regression to the mean.ConclusionsDepression and anxiety symptoms in young adults from Québec in Summer 2020 were mostly comparable to symptoms reported in 2018. Most COVID-19-related stressors and pre-existing vulnerabilities were not associated with changes in symptoms, except living alone and pre-existing symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, the increased rate of severe depression warrants further investigation.

Dataset Information

Depression and anxiety in cancer patients before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: association with treatment delays.

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Depression and anxiety in cancer patients before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: association with treatment delays.

Similar Datasets

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