Psychological Stress Reported at the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Subsequent Stress and Successful Coping in Patients With Rheumatic Diseases: A Longitudinal Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: In a cohort assembled during the height of mortality-associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in New York City, the objectives of this qualitative-quantitative mixed-methods study were to assess COVID-related stress at enrollment with subsequent stress and clinical and behavioral characteristics associated with successful coping during longitudinal follow-up. METHODS: Patients with rheumatologist-diagnosed rheumatic disease taking immunosuppressive medications were interviewed in April 2020 and were asked open-ended questions about the impact of COVID-19 on psychological well-being. Stress-related responses were grouped into categories. Patients were interviewed again in January-March 2021 and asked about interval and current disease status and how well they believed they coped. Patients also completed the 29-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS-29) measuring physical and emotional health during both interviews. RESULTS: Ninety-six patients had follow-ups; 83% were women, and mean age was 50 years. Patients who reported stress at enrollment had improved PROMIS-29 scores, particularly for the anxiety subscale. At the follow-up, patients reported persistent and new stresses as well as numerous self-identified coping strategies. Overall coping was rated as very well (30%), well (48%), and neutral-fair-poor (22%). Based on ordinal logistic regression, variables associated with worse overall coping were worse enrollment-to-follow-up PROMIS-29 anxiety (odds ratio [OR], 4.4; confidence interval [CI], 1.1-17.3; p = 0.03), not reporting excellent/very good disease status at follow-up (OR, 2.7; CI, 1.1-6.5; p = 0.03), pandemic-related persistent stress (OR, 5.7; CI, 1.6-20.1; p = 0.007), and pandemic-related adverse long-lasting effects on employment (OR, 6.1; CI, 1.9-20.0; p = 0.003) and health (OR, 3.0; CI, 1.0-9.0; p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study reflects the evolving nature of COVID-related psychological stress and coping, with most patients reporting they coped well. For those not coping well, multidisciplinary health care providers are needed to address long-lasting pandemic-associated adverse consequences.

Coping Mechanisms Mitigate Psychological Stress in Patients With Rheumatologic Diseases During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Coping with stress is part of self-managing systemic rheumatic diseases. Our objective was to assess stress and coping during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: During the pandemic in New York City, patients taking disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs answered open-ended questions about the pandemic's effects on daily life and their rheumatic condition. Themes of stress and coping were discerned from volunteered responses. Patients also completed the standard Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale/PROMIS Anxiety surveys. Anxiety scores were independent variables in multivariable analyses with stress and coping themes as combined dependent variables. RESULTS: Of the 112 patients interviewed (86% women; mean age, 50 years), 72 volunteered COVID-19-related stress on their rheumatic condition, home, work, and finances. Patients volunteering stress were younger, had disease longer, were taking more than 1 medication, had worse GAD-7 scores and a positive anxiety screen, and had worse PROMIS scores that were significantly worse than population norms (all comparisons, p ≤ 0.01; all variables remained associated in multivariable analyses). Fourty-one patients volunteered coping mechanisms including support from others, engaging in activities, and resilience already establish in dealing with rheumatic diseases. Of these, 18 volunteered both coping and stress and 23 volunteered coping and no stress. Patients in the latter (coping-only) group were more likely to be older, taking only 1 medication, and had better GAD-7 and PROMIS scores (all comparisons, p ≤ 0.02). In multivariable analysis, older age (p = 0.02) and lower GAD-7 (p = 0.03) or PROMIS scores (p = 0.03) remained associated. CONCLUSIONS: Patients reported stress and coping due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses with standard anxiety measures demonstrated lower anxiety in patients who volunteered coping mechanisms.

Our Experience Leading a Large Medical Physics Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: To provide a series of suggestions for other Medical Physics practices to follow in order to provide effective radiation therapy treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We reviewed our entire Radiation Oncology infrastructure to identify a series of workflows and policy changes that we implemented during the pandemic that yielded more effective practices during this time. RESULTS: We identified a structured list of several suggestions that can help other Medical Physics practices overcome the challenges involved in delivering high quality radiotherapy services during this pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Our facility encompasses 4 smaller Houston Area Locations (HALs), a main campus with 8 distinct services based on treatment site (ie. Thoracic, Head and Neck, Breast, Gastrointestinal, Gynecology, Genitourinary, Hematologic Malignancies, Melanoma and Sarcoma and Central Nervous System/Pediatrics), a Proton Center facility, an MR-Linac, a Gamma Knife clinic and an array of brachytherapy services. Due to the scope of our services, we have gained experience in dealing with the rapidly changing pandemic effects on our clinical practice. Our paper provides a resource to other Medical Physics practices in search of workflows that have been resilient during these challenging times.