Mental Distress and Fears and Their Association with Health Care Access and Non-Adherence of Patients with Cancer to Treatment during COVID-19 Pandemic

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Public Health, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

2 Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly challenged cancer patients’ health and disease
management.
Objective(s): Assessment of mental distress and fears and their association with access to health care
and non-adherence of patients with cancer to treatment during COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: The study was conducted using a cross sectional approach. Data was collected from 285
randomly selected patients with cancer from a sizeable university hospital. The collected data
included sociodemographic characteristics, medical histories, and medication adherence. The Kessler
6-item fear of COVID-19, fear of cancer recurrence scale, and medication adherence report scale
were used.
Results: Breast cancer was the most prevalent type of cancer (44.9%). About 23.2% of patients
reported experiencing more mental distress during the pandemic. The mean values of the COVID-19
and cancer recurrence fear scales were 13.2 and 11.3, respectively. More than half (51.9%) of
interviewees reported decreased access to healthcare services, primarily because of hospital
precautions and a shortage in prescription drugs (39.9% and 39.2%, respectively). A greater fear
score of cancer recurrence, younger age, higher mental health distress, and the perceived influence of
COVID-19 on social life were the significant variables associated with a rising COVID-19 fear score.
Conclusion: The pandemic adversely affected patients with cancer access to care, mental health, and
treatment adherence. Appropriate policies should be considered to mitigate this impact in future
similar events.

Keywords

Journal of High Institute of Public Health
Volume 53, Issue 3
December 2023
Pages 96-104

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