School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy.
Clinical and Health Psychology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 21;20(5):3851. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20053851.
Cancer patients are at an increased risk of developing severe consequences due to the COVID-19 infection. However, psychological outcomes in this population have been overlooked in the literature. The present study aims to identify significant psychological differences between gynecological cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy before and during the pandemic. Additionally, we explore the correlations between COVID-19-related concerns and anxiety, depression, distress, and quality of life levels. Forty-two patients completed the STAI-Y, the EORTC QLQ-C30, the BDI II, the DT, and an ad-hoc questionnaire that investigated COVID-19-related concerns. The analyses did not show significant differences in the psychometric scales between the two groups, highlighting a considerable resilience against mental health and quality of life deterioration during the COVID-19 pandemic in gynecologic cancer patients. However, COVID-19-related concerns were positively associated with anxiety and inversely related to emotional functioning levels. These results emphasize the importance of a comprehensive patient care and the need to implement a multidisciplinary approach that includes psychological support in the treatment plan. Moreover, it is essential to encourage clear communication to convey comprehensive information about the impact of the pandemic on physical and psychological levels, as well as to offer psychoeducational tools to face the pandemic.
癌症患者因 COVID-19 感染而发展为严重后果的风险增加。然而，这一人群的心理结果在文献中被忽视了。本研究旨在确定在大流行之前和期间接受化疗的妇科癌症患者之间存在显著的心理差异。此外，我们还探讨了 COVID-19 相关问题与焦虑、抑郁、痛苦和生活质量水平之间的相关性。42 名患者完成了 STAI-Y、EORTC QLQ-C30、BDI II、DT 和一个专门调查 COVID-19 相关问题的问卷。分析显示两组间心理量表无显著差异，这表明妇科癌症患者在 COVID-19 大流行期间对心理健康和生活质量恶化具有相当的抵抗力。然而，COVID-19 相关问题与焦虑呈正相关，与情绪功能水平呈负相关。这些结果强调了全面患者护理的重要性，需要实施多学科方法，在治疗计划中包括心理支持。此外，鼓励进行全面的沟通以传达大流行对身体和心理层面的影响，并提供心理教育工具来应对大流行至关重要。
