Cancer Health Literacy Research Centre, Cancer Education, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Biostatistics Department, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Cancer. 2022 Feb 15;128(4):746-761. doi: 10.1002/cncr.33976. Epub 2021 Oct 27.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused enormous strain on public health. Patients with cancer are particularly susceptible to the disease, and their treatment plans have been threatened by public health restrictions designed to contain the spread.
This study examined the effects of the pandemic on cancer patients' psychology, knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning COVID-19 as well as their perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on their cancer health care services. A survey was sent to 5800 patients at a cancer center in Toronto, Canada. Descriptive results were summarized. Qualitative feedback was coded and summarized. To examine for potential associations, regression models were tested for the outcomes of patient psychological well-being, knowledge, attitudes, and practices, and they accounted for several demographic, health literacy, and disease variables.
A total of 1631 surveys were completed. Most patients saw their appointments shifted to virtual visits, and for a substantial minority, there was no change. A majority of the patients (62%) expressed fears about contracting the virus. There were no independent predictors of COVID-19-related knowledge. Fears were more pronounced among patients who did not speak English and those who used social media more often. Female participants, those who scored higher on knowledge questions, and those who used cancer center materials were more likely to take preventative measures against infection.
This study provides a snapshot of the state of cancer patient treatment and the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of patients between the first 2 waves of the pandemic. The study's results can inform our understanding of adaptation to conditions during and after the outbreak.
2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行给公共卫生带来了巨大压力。癌症患者尤其容易感染这种疾病，他们的治疗计划受到旨在遏制疾病传播的公共卫生限制的威胁。
本研究调查了大流行对癌症患者 COVID-19 相关心理、知识、态度和实践的影响，以及他们对 COVID-19 对其癌症保健服务影响的看法。在加拿大多伦多的一家癌症中心向 5800 名患者发送了一份调查。总结了描述性结果。对定性反馈进行了编码和总结。为了检验潜在的关联，对患者心理健康、知识、态度和实践的结果进行了回归模型检验，并考虑了几个人口统计学、健康素养和疾病变量。
共完成了 1631 份调查。大多数患者的预约都转移到了虚拟就诊，而对相当一部分患者来说，预约没有变化。大多数患者（62%）表示担心感染病毒。COVID-19 相关知识没有独立的预测因素。不会说英语和经常使用社交媒体的患者恐惧更为明显。女性参与者、在知识问题上得分较高的参与者以及使用癌症中心材料的参与者更有可能采取预防感染的措施。
本研究提供了大流行前两波期间癌症患者治疗状况以及患者知识、态度和实践的快照。研究结果可以帮助我们了解在疫情期间和之后的适应情况。
