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Christina Sit
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P39 - Patient Advocacy (ID 168)
- Event: WCLC 2020
- Type: Posters
- Track: Patient Advocacy
- Presentations: 1
- Moderators:
- Coordinates: 1/28/2021, 00:00 - 00:00, ePoster Hall
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P39.08 - The Effect of COVID-19 on Anxiety in Canadian Lung Cancer Patients (ID 3756)
00:00 - 00:00 | Presenting Author(s): Christina Sit
- Abstract
Introduction
As of the March 20, 2020, the COVID-19 caseload in Canada was still fairly low. There were 917 reported cases compared to 13,882 by April 4, 2020. Recognizing the respiratory nature of the disease, and possible effect on anxiety levels particularly in lung cancer patients, a survey was fielded to measure and better understand how the pandemic was affecting the anxiety levels of lung cancer patients in Canada.
Methods
OBJECTIVE: To measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadian lung cancer patient anxiety levels.
STUDY DESIGN: An iterative approach was used in the survey design. A round table discussion made up of lung cancer patients was utilized to provide qualitative input. The resulting themes were converted into a quantitative survey, which was fielded digitally. A focus group was then gathered to analyze and discuss the results.
Results
The study population was Canadian lung cancer patients. The responses (n = 113) were collected from 20 - 23 March 2020. All results were descriptive only. (Answer scale 1 to 10: 1 = not anxious at all; 10 = extremely anxious, m = weighted average). The results were as follows:
Respondent’s anxiety levels at time of survey, m = 6.01.
Anxiety levels compared to prior to the pandemic, m = 6.26.
Extent to which the outbreak affected feelings of isolation (m = 6.42), being in control (m = 6.01), hope (m= 5.57), vulnerability (m = 7.03).
Anxiety experienced due to worry about impact on aspects of their lives: complete life goals (m =6.17), ability to spend quality time with family and loved ones (m = 7.27), participate in life events with those they love (m = 7.38).
Importance of supports to help relieve feelings of anxiety, the most important was clear communication from healthcare team followed by increased communication from lung cancer organizations.
Conclusion
The results of the survey suggest participants developed an increase in anxiety levels around certain aspects of such as enjoyment of life and quality of life.
Results also indicated patients desired resources to increase awareness and education, which would help allay anxiety and improve well being during an outbreak.
Variables that may have affected the data:
Distribution shapes across the board were not even, with some clustering which potentially reflected the different levels of the outbreak of the across the country.
Survey was carried out at the beginning of Canada’s COVID-19 response and a state of emergency had not been declared in all the provinces across the country.
Due to the early nature of the outbreak at the time of the survey, and as the pandemic continued to evolve, patient anxiety levels were continuously measured. These are preliminary results based on the first survey. Patient mental health is an important aspect of care and influences outcomes. These results highlight areas that may be used to inform cancer care policy and stresses the importance of the inclusion of mental health considerations.
