Effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the quality of life of oncology patıents

Year 2024, Volume: 15 Issue: 2, 287 - 296, 01.07.2024

İsmail Akgül , Özlem Yurtal , Yeşim Yıldız , Bülent Çelik , Oktay Ünsal , Hamid Habibi , Ahmet Özet

https://doi.org/10.18663/tjcl.1460996

Abstract

Aim: COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of life. With this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of the pandemic on the quality of life (QOL) of oncology patients.
Material and Methods: This study was conducted on 220 outpatients and inpatients of medical oncology clinics of Gazi University Hospital, through face-to-face interviews in the period between August 2020 and February 2021. Data were collected with the WHOQOL Scale and the original questionnaire.
Results: Being younger, being in a higher level of education, living in metropolitan cities, and having a higher salary; increased the patients' QOL. The physical subscale scores (SS) were found to be significantly lower in those who needed surgery, chemotherapy, and hospitalization (p<0.05). The social SS of those who continued their working life and the environmental SS of those whose care support was not affected were found to be significantly higher (p<0.05). The physical and psychological SS of those who did not think that COVID-19 "negatively affects the course of the disease" was significantly higher (p<0.05). The physical SS of those who experienced the anxiety of being infected with COVID-19 at a “moderate” level was found to be significantly lower (p<0.05). The physical and psychological SS of "outpatient" oncology patients were found to be significantly higher (p<0.05). The physical, psychological, social, and environmental SS of oncology patients with other chronic diseases were significantly lower (p<0.05). Any of the SS of the WHOQOL Scale did not show a significant difference according to gender, marital status, and employment status (p>0.05).
Conclusıon: As the pandemic still continues, besides medical care, more intense psychological and social support should be provided to oncology patients.

Keywords

COVID-19, cancer, oncology patient, pandemic, quality of life

Covid-19 pandemisinin onkoloji hastalarinin yaşam kalitesine etkileri

Abstract

Amaç: COVID-19 pandemisi yaşamın tüm yönlerini etkilemiştir. Bu çalışma ile pandemi sürecinin onkoloji hastalarının yaşam kalitesi (QOL) üzerindeki etkilerini değerlendirmeyi amaçladık.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu çalışma, Ağustos 2020 ile Şubat 2021 arasında Gazi Üniversitesi Hastanesi'nin tıbbi onkoloji kliniklerinde yüz yüze görüşmeler yoluyla 220 ayakta ve yatan hasta üzerinden gerçekleştirilmiş ve araştırma verilerine, WHOQOL Ölçeği ve özgün bir anket ile ulaşılmıştır.
Bulgular: Daha genç yaşta olmak, daha yüksek eğitim seviyesine sahip olmak, metropol şehirlerde yaşamak ve daha yüksek ekonomik gelire sahip olmak, hastaların yaşam kalitesini olumlu etkileyen değişkenler arasında yerini almıştır. Fiziksel alt ölçek skorları (SS), cerrahiye, kemoterapiye ve hastaneye yatmaya ihtiyaç duyanlarda anlamlı derecede düşük bulunmuştur (p<0.05). Çalışma hayatına devam edenlerin ile sosyal SS ve bakım desteği etkilenmeyenlerin çevresel alt başlıktaki yaşam kalitesi SS anlamlı derecede yüksek bulunmuştur (p<0.05). COVID-19'un "hastalığın seyrini olumsuz etkilediğini" düşünmeyenlerin oranı fiziksel ve psikolojik SS anlamlı derecede yüksek bulunmuştur (p<0.05). COVID-19'a "orta" düzeyde enfekte olma endişesi yaşayanların fiziksel SS anlamlı derecede düşük olmuştur (p<0.05). "Ayakta tedavi gören" onkoloji hastalarının fiziksel ve psikolojik SS anlamlı derecede yüksek çıkmıştır (p<0.05). Diğer kronik hastalıklara sahip onkoloji hastalarının fiziksel, psikolojik, sosyal ve çevresel SS anlamlı derecede düşük bulunmuştur(p<0.05). WHOQOL Ölçeği'nin herhangi bir SS, cinsiyet, medeni durum ve istihdam durumuna göre anlamlı bir fark göstermediği anlaşılmıştır (p>0.05).
Sonuç: Pandemi süreci halen devam ettiği için, tıbbi bakımın yanı sıra onkoloji hastalarına daha yoğun psikolojik ve sosyal destek sağlanmalıdır.

Keywords

COVID-19, kanser, onkoloji hastası, pandemi, yaşam kalitesi

Ethical Statement

Saha araştırmasına dayalı bilimsel çalışmamızın Gazi Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesinden Etik Kurul onayı vardır.

Thanks

Bilimsel çalışmalara gösterdiğiniz ilgiden dolayı teşekkür ederim.

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