Experiences of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Content Provider	Europe PMC
Author	Yan, Adam Howden, Kaitlyn Mahar, Alyson L. Scott, Ian Glidden, Camille Deleemans, Julie Chalifour, Karine Eaton, Geoff Gupta, Abha Bolton, James M. Garland, Sheila N. Oberoi, Sapna
Abstract	PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey of AYAs aged 18–49 with cancer in Canada between January and February 2021. Data from survivors, defined as AYAs more than one year off cancer treatment, were analysed. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with psychological distress, loneliness and insomnia.ResultsThe analysis included 384 survivors. Moderate-to-severe psychological distress was reported by 257 (68.9%) survivors and was associated with an income ≥ $60,000 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.15, 95% CI 1.11–4.17) and the presence of a pre-existing chronic physical health condition (AOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.18–3.56). Loneliness was reported by 204 (54.0%) survivors and was associated with being unemployed (AOR 2.26 95%CI 1.18–4.31), pandemic causing finances to be worse (AOR 1.82, 95%CI 1.08–3.06) and the presence of a pre-pandemic mental health condition (AOR 1.88, 95% CI 1.03–3.42). Clinical insomnia was reported by 74 (19.5%) survivors and was associated with employment status as a student (AOR 3.00, 95% CI 1.08–8.29) or unemployed (AOR 3.97, 95% CI 1.46–10.83), earning $60,000 or more in the year 2020 (AOR 4.36, 95% CI 1.43–13.32), having haematologic cancer (AOR 2.21, 95% CI 1.05–4.70) and being single (AOR 2.52, 95% CI 1.08–5.91). Pandemic negatively affected employment, finances, physical activity, cancer care and substance use for 73.9%, 66.5%, 32.5%, 21.8% and 19.2% of survivors, respectively. Worries about finances, contracting COVID-19, cancer treatment increasing the risk of COVID-19 infection, and having poor health outcomes from contracting COVID-19 were reported by 46.0%, 45.6%, 55.0% and 47.3% of survivors, respectively.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on AYA cancer survivors, and these individuals report high levels of psychological distress, insomnia and loneliness.Implications for Cancer Survivors.Cancer survivors are at risk for worsening mental and physical health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Targeted interventions and support programs are urgently needed to support the mental health of AYA cancer survivors and optimize their health outcomes.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11764-021-01158-9.
Related Links	https://europepmc.org/backend/ptpmcrender.fcgi?accid=PMC8801282&blobtype=pdf
ISSN	19322259
Journal	Journal of Cancer Survivorship [J Cancer Surviv]
Volume Number	17
DOI	10.1007/s11764-021-01158-9
PubMed Central reference number	PMC8801282
Issue Number	2
PubMed reference number	35098486
e-ISSN	19322267
Language	English
Publisher	Springer US
Publisher Date	2022-01-31
Publisher Place	New York
Access Restriction	Open
Rights License	This article is made available via the PMC Open Access Subset for unrestricted research re-use and secondary analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for the duration of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021
Subject Keyword	COVID-19 Adolescents and young adults Oncology Pandemic Survivorship Cancer
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Oncology (nursing) Oncology