The status of anxiety state among cancer patients and their relatives during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Hubei, China.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, tumor patients and their families might suffer from greater psychological stress as a result of anxiety or other psychological disorders. We conducted an online study during the epidemic to explore the mental state of tumor patients and their families during this extraordinary time. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out. Questionnaires were distributed through the WeChat "Questionnaire Star" network. The snowball sampling technique was adopted and further promoted by subjects who had completed the questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 1,030 valid questionnaires were collected. There were 609 (59.13%) tumor patients and 421 (40.87%) family members. One hundred and fifty-six (15.15%) subjects had anxiety, among which 65 (6.31%) had moderate to severe anxiety. Single-factor analysis indicated that age (>60 years old), the farmer occupation, and a high sleep disorder assessment score were risk factors for anxiety, while the latter two might also be independent risk factors, as suggested by multi-factor analysis. Infrequent contact with doctors was an independent risk factor for cancer patients, while uninterrupted anti-tumor therapy was an independent protective factor. 40.19% of the subjects expressed a need for psychosocial support during the COVID-19 period. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 outbreak resulted in tumor patients and their relatives experiencing greater psychological pressure than usual, and patients were more worried about anti-tumor treatment and disease progression impacted by the epidemic. Both groups had a significant need for psychosocial help.