Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
J Adv Nurs. 2022 Dec;78(12):4150-4164. doi: 10.1111/jan.15431. Epub 2022 Sep 2.
To provide in-depth insight into how patients and their relatives experienced change or delay in cancer treatment and care due to COVID-19.
A qualitative study including semi-structured interviews with patients with cancer and their relatives.
Between July and October 2020, 42 patients who were confronted with a change or delay in cancer treatment or care, and 11 relatives were interviewed. Data collection and analysis were performed according to the most important methods of grounded theory, including iterative data collection and analysis, theoretical sampling, constant comparative analysis and theoretical sensitivity.
This study shows that patients with cancer and relatives experienced paradoxical feelings when confronted with change or delay in treatment or care due to COVID-19. Patients and relatives felt relieved (e.g. less risk of infection), but were also concerned and anxious (e.g. fear for progression, fear for more side effects). Due to these ambivalent feelings, it was difficult for patients and relatives to cope with the change or delay in treatment or care, both when this was decided by the physician and by themselves. In combination with the general impact of COVID-19 on their daily lives, the change or delay led to additional distress. The interviews showed that exploring the meaning of change or delay of care for patients and their relatives and discussing what would help them might prevent or relieve distress.
The findings of our study show that COVID-19 and the associated delay or changes in cancer treatment and care had a major impact on the well-being of patients and their relatives. Person-oriented care is even more important during (emergency) situations in which care might be changed or delayed.
深入了解 COVID-19 如何导致患者及其亲属的癌症治疗和护理发生变化或延迟。
一项包括对癌症患者及其亲属进行半结构化访谈的定性研究。
在 2020 年 7 月至 10 月期间，对 42 名面临癌症治疗或护理改变或延迟的患者和 11 名亲属进行了访谈。数据收集和分析按照扎根理论最重要的方法进行，包括迭代数据收集和分析、理论抽样、恒比分析和理论敏感性。
本研究表明，COVID-19 导致癌症患者及其亲属在治疗或护理发生变化或延迟时，会产生矛盾的感觉。患者和亲属感到宽慰（例如，感染风险降低），但也感到担忧和焦虑（例如，担心进展、担心更多副作用）。由于这些矛盾的感觉，患者和亲属在医生和他们自己决定改变或延迟治疗或护理时都难以应对。再加上 COVID-19 对他们日常生活的普遍影响，这种改变或延迟导致了更多的痛苦。访谈显示，探讨护理改变或延迟对患者及其亲属的意义，并讨论哪些方法对他们有帮助，可能有助于预防或缓解痛苦。
本研究结果表明，COVID-19 及其导致的癌症治疗和护理的延迟或改变对患者及其亲属的幸福感产生了重大影响。在（紧急）情况下，当护理可能发生改变或延迟时，以患者为中心的护理甚至更为重要。
