Health-related quality of life of patients with haematologic cancer during COVID-19 and their opinions on telehealth consultations - a Danish single site cross-sectional survey.

INTRODUCTION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, high-risk patient groups might have practiced social distancing and sheltering, and hospitals may have changed or postponed treatments and examinations. We aimed to explore health-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with haematological diseases during the early phase of the pandemic and their acceptability of using telehealth. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional survey among patients at the Department of Haematology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark. Eligible participants were patients receiving either active treatment or survivors in a follow-up program. The survey was open from 22 May to 13 June 2020. The survey contained questions on concerns and the impact of COVID-19 and acceptability on telehealth in addition to the assessment of health-related QoL. The later was assessed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer core QoL (EORTC QLQ-C30) questionnaire with the subdomains Global QoL, emotional functioning (EF) and social functioning (SF) being of primary interest. Further, anxiety during COVID-19 was assessed by use of an adapted version of the generalised anxiety disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire. RESULTS: 4420 patients were eligible to participate. The response rate was 53% (n = 2239) of which 37% where in a treatment program and 63% where in a follow-up program. The majority (80%) of patients were concerned about contracting COVID-19. The global QoL score (69.0, ±SD 22.6) was markedly lower than EF (84.5, ±SD 18.9) and SF (85.0, ±SD 23.4). Regression analysis showed that being concerned (a little, moderately, very, extremely) about contracting COVID-19 correlated with lower scores of global QoL (-3.86 to -22.76), EF (-3.81 to -26.41) and SF (-1.14 to -22.49). The GAD-7 score showed that approximately 20% of patients had symptoms of COVID-19 associated generalised anxiety. Finally, 67% of the patients were positive towards replacing face-to-face consultancies with phone calls, but video consultations were less preferred (47%). CONCLUSION: Danish patients with haematological cancer presented with low global QoL during the early phase of COVID-19, and 20% of the patients showed symptoms of generalised anxiety. Patients were overall positive towards the implementation of telehealth consultancies.

Quality of life in patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic - a Danish cross-sectional study (COPICADS).

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is an international public health crisis. The risk of getting an infection with COVID-19 might impact the emotional well-being in patients with cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate quality of life (QoL) for patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey, including questions about demographics, concerns of COVID-19 impact on cancer treatment and outpatient clinic visits, and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 questionnaire was sent to patients with cancer at the Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark. The survey was open from 15th May to 29th May 2020, and 4.571 responded. Results were compared to the Danish 'Barometer Study' conducted by the Danish Cancer Society to elucidate experiences with the Danish healthcare system prior to COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: In total, 9% of patients with cancer had refrained from consulting a doctor or the hospital due to fear of COVID-19 infection, and 80% were concerned about contracting COVID-19 to some extent. Seventeen patients were tested positive for COVID-19. The mean global QoL and emotional functioning (EF) scores were 71.3 and 82.8, respectively. In comparison to the 'Barometer Study', no clinical significant differences in QoL and EF scores were observed. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that being 'Concerned about contracting corona-virus' was correlated with lower QoL and EF scores. Factors associated with being concerned of contracting COVID-19 were comorbid conditions, incurable cancer, receiving medical cancer treatment and female gender. CONCLUSION: Danish patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic did not have lower scores of QoL and emotional functioning compared to the Danish 'Barometer Study'. However, the study suggests that concerns of contracting COVID-19 was correlated with lower scores of QoL.