ABSTRACT
It is well known that the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant treatment delays for dermatology patients, and recent studies demonstrate poor outcomes for patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) during this time. However, not much is known about patient reported delays in management of this condition following the pandemic. This study sought to evaluate patient-reported illness anxiety and delays in management of CTCL. Fifty-two CTCL patients were recruited from clinic from October 2020 to October 2021. Patients were asked to complete a 22-question survey adapted from the United States Census Household Pulse Survey. Control data was extrapolated from published national data from the Household Pulse Survey. Of 52 patients surveyed, 28 were male (59.6%). 25 identified as white (54.3%), 18 as Black (39.1%), 8 as Asian (15.3%) and 1 as Native American (2.2%). Average age was 57 years, age range 24-89 years. Results demonstrate that 32.6% (n=15) of respondents had a household member experience loss of employment since March 2020 compared to 39.6% of the US population. 46.8% of respondents vs. 32.3% US population noted some level of difficulty in paying for household expenses including medical care. Only 4.3% of respondents noted that they delayed receiving medical care due to the coronavirus pandemic. When compared to the US population (59.8%), a lower proportion of respondents (48.9%) noted symptoms of nervousness or anxiety over the past week. 27.7% of respondents vs. 46.1% of US population reported feelings of hopelessness or depression over the past week. These results demonstrate a low number of patients reporting care delays, possible due to the interval when data was collected, several months after COVID-19 onset. It is also possible that telehealth contributed to lessening delays in care. Overall, the results of this study reinforce the significant physical, financial, and emotional impact of CTCL on the daily lives of patients, and the heightened impact of COVID-19 on this population.Copyright © 2023