Feelings Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients Treated in the Oncology Clinics (Poland)
Background: The number of cancer patients is constantly growing. Both WHO and IARC report that this number may reach up to 24 million new diagnosed cases in the next two decades. The proposed treatment and especially the diagnosis can have a significant impact on an individual's approach to the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-04-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647196/full |
| _version_ | 1829513632838320128 |
|---|---|
| author | Mateusz Grajek Eliza Działach Marta Buczkowska Michał Górski Elzbieta Nowara |
| author_facet | Mateusz Grajek Eliza Działach Marta Buczkowska Michał Górski Elzbieta Nowara |
| author_sort | Mateusz Grajek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The number of cancer patients is constantly growing. Both WHO and IARC report that this number may reach up to 24 million new diagnosed cases in the next two decades. The proposed treatment and especially the diagnosis can have a significant impact on an individual's approach to the disease, as well as on the patient's quality of life.Objectives: The study aimed to assess the quality of life, feelings, and fear of cancer-treating oncological patients, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Material and Methods: The study used the standardized WHOQOL quality of life questionnaire in a shortened version, the COVID-19 fear scale (FCV-19S), and the AIS disease acceptance scale (in terms of cancer-related sensations). The questionnaire survey was conducted among patients of cancer clinics (Poland). The study was conducted in two stages–before the COVID-19 pandemic (May 2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (May 2020). Data from 450 correctly completed questionnaires were analyzed statistically. The obtained data were statistically processed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U test (p = 0.05).Results: Among the surveyed patients of the cancer clinic, the quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic decreased by 2%, compared to the period before the pandemic. The frequency of negative feelings associated with cancer increased during the COVID-19 pandemic–by 11% more men, and 4.4% of women determined the frequency of negative feelings to be 2–3 times a week. The level of fear associated with COVID-19 was moderate (57.1%), with women having a higher level of fear (12.5% higher than men).Conclusion: The development of the epidemic is very important in terms of public health. COVID-19 should be considered as one of the factors that bring about sudden changes in the mental health of the population, which may result from the dynamic development of this disease, dramatic media coverage, and own experiences. It has been shown that the sudden appearance of such a large stressor causes a decrease in patients' quality of life and an increase in negative feelings associated with chronic disease. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T13:03:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0f700a2b86de477eaa0fd03bbc64d011 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T13:03:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0f700a2b86de477eaa0fd03bbc64d0112022-12-21T22:30:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-04-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.647196647196Feelings Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients Treated in the Oncology Clinics (Poland)Mateusz Grajek0Eliza Działach1Marta Buczkowska2Michał Górski3Elzbieta Nowara4Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences Bytom, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, PolandDepartment of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences Bytom, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, PolandDepartment of Toxicology and Occupational Health Protection, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, PolandDoctoral School, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, PolandFaculty of Health Sciences, Jan Dlugosz University, Czestochowa, PolandBackground: The number of cancer patients is constantly growing. Both WHO and IARC report that this number may reach up to 24 million new diagnosed cases in the next two decades. The proposed treatment and especially the diagnosis can have a significant impact on an individual's approach to the disease, as well as on the patient's quality of life.Objectives: The study aimed to assess the quality of life, feelings, and fear of cancer-treating oncological patients, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Material and Methods: The study used the standardized WHOQOL quality of life questionnaire in a shortened version, the COVID-19 fear scale (FCV-19S), and the AIS disease acceptance scale (in terms of cancer-related sensations). The questionnaire survey was conducted among patients of cancer clinics (Poland). The study was conducted in two stages–before the COVID-19 pandemic (May 2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (May 2020). Data from 450 correctly completed questionnaires were analyzed statistically. The obtained data were statistically processed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U test (p = 0.05).Results: Among the surveyed patients of the cancer clinic, the quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic decreased by 2%, compared to the period before the pandemic. The frequency of negative feelings associated with cancer increased during the COVID-19 pandemic–by 11% more men, and 4.4% of women determined the frequency of negative feelings to be 2–3 times a week. The level of fear associated with COVID-19 was moderate (57.1%), with women having a higher level of fear (12.5% higher than men).Conclusion: The development of the epidemic is very important in terms of public health. COVID-19 should be considered as one of the factors that bring about sudden changes in the mental health of the population, which may result from the dynamic development of this disease, dramatic media coverage, and own experiences. It has been shown that the sudden appearance of such a large stressor causes a decrease in patients' quality of life and an increase in negative feelings associated with chronic disease.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647196/fullCOVID-19canceroncologyquality of lifefear |
| spellingShingle | Mateusz Grajek Eliza Działach Marta Buczkowska Michał Górski Elzbieta Nowara Feelings Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients Treated in the Oncology Clinics (Poland) Frontiers in Psychology COVID-19 cancer oncology quality of life fear |
| title | Feelings Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients Treated in the Oncology Clinics (Poland) |
| title_full | Feelings Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients Treated in the Oncology Clinics (Poland) |
| title_fullStr | Feelings Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients Treated in the Oncology Clinics (Poland) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Feelings Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients Treated in the Oncology Clinics (Poland) |
| title_short | Feelings Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients Treated in the Oncology Clinics (Poland) |
| title_sort | feelings related to the covid 19 pandemic among patients treated in the oncology clinics poland |
| topic | COVID-19 cancer oncology quality of life fear |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647196/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mateuszgrajek feelingsrelatedtothecovid19pandemicamongpatientstreatedintheoncologyclinicspoland AT elizadziałach feelingsrelatedtothecovid19pandemicamongpatientstreatedintheoncologyclinicspoland AT martabuczkowska feelingsrelatedtothecovid19pandemicamongpatientstreatedintheoncologyclinicspoland AT michałgorski feelingsrelatedtothecovid19pandemicamongpatientstreatedintheoncologyclinicspoland AT elzbietanowara feelingsrelatedtothecovid19pandemicamongpatientstreatedintheoncologyclinicspoland |