Elotla, S., Tawfik, M., Elsayed, F., Fouad, A., Ameen, A. (2023). Mental Distress and Fears and Their Association with Health Care Access and Non-Adherence of Patients with Cancer to Treatment during COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 53(3), 96-104. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2024.339467
Sally F. Elotla; Mirella Y. Tawfik; Fifi M. Elsayed; Asmaa M. Fouad; Abeer E. Ameen. "Mental Distress and Fears and Their Association with Health Care Access and Non-Adherence of Patients with Cancer to Treatment during COVID-19 Pandemic". Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 53, 3, 2023, 96-104. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2024.339467
Elotla, S., Tawfik, M., Elsayed, F., Fouad, A., Ameen, A. (2023). 'Mental Distress and Fears and Their Association with Health Care Access and Non-Adherence of Patients with Cancer to Treatment during COVID-19 Pandemic', Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 53(3), pp. 96-104. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2024.339467
Elotla, S., Tawfik, M., Elsayed, F., Fouad, A., Ameen, A. Mental Distress and Fears and Their Association with Health Care Access and Non-Adherence of Patients with Cancer to Treatment during COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 2023; 53(3): 96-104. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2024.339467
Mental Distress and Fears and Their Association with Health Care Access and Non-Adherence of Patients with Cancer to Treatment during COVID-19 Pandemic
1Department of Public Health, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
2Department 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.
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