Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

The Critical Issues for Patients and Caregivers in Neuro-Oncology During Covid-19 Pandemic: What We Have Learnt by an Observational Study.

Elena Anghileri
* ORCID logo ,
Irene Tramacere
,
Sara Morlino
,
Catia Leuzzi
,
Lorena Pereja Gutierrez
,
Saba Motta
,
Antonio Silvani
,
Francesca Romana Berrini
Version 1 : Received: 29 March 2024 / Approved: 29 March 2024 / Online: 1 April 2024 (10:08:02 CEST)

How to cite: Anghileri, E.; Tramacere, I.; Morlino, S.; Leuzzi, C.; Gutierrez, L.P.; Motta, S.; Silvani, A.; Berrini, F.R. The Critical Issues for Patients and Caregivers in Neuro-Oncology During Covid-19 Pandemic: What We Have Learnt by an Observational Study.. Preprints 2024, 2024040024. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.0024.v1 Anghileri, E.; Tramacere, I.; Morlino, S.; Leuzzi, C.; Gutierrez, L.P.; Motta, S.; Silvani, A.; Berrini, F.R. The Critical Issues for Patients and Caregivers in Neuro-Oncology During Covid-19 Pandemic: What We Have Learnt by an Observational Study.. Preprints 2024, 2024040024. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.0024.v1

Abstract

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic inferred on neuro-oncological patients (PTS) and the caregivers regarding tumor care and emotional functioning. This study aimed to understand how COVID-19 affects their psychological state and relations between PTS and health personnel in neuro-oncology. Methods: A cross-sectional study on neuro-oncological PTS and their caregivers. Results: A total of 162 PTS and 66 caregivers completed the questionnaire. The 37.5% of PTS perceived greater risk of contracting the COVID-19 compared to the general population. On the 0-10 scale, PTS tumor-related anxiety score was 5.8 and COVID-related 4.6. The caregivers reported 7.7 and 5.5 respectively. The QoL was described at least as good in 75% of both PTS and caregivers; the caregivers’ care burden increased in 22.7% during the pandemic, with no correlation with QoL. Future perception often changed both in PTS and in the caregivers. Cancer treatment schedule was changed in 18.5%, including for PTS decision. However, the 93.5% of PTS was satisfied with the overall care. Conclusion: A considerable proportion of PTS and caregivers still perceived the tumor disease as more burdensome than the pandemic, and perceived their future as more uncertain. Such data rinforce the need to build a proficient alliance between PTS and health personnel.

Keywords

Anxiety; Caregivers; Caregiver Burden; Communication; COVID-19; (Brain) Neoplasms; Pandemics; Perception; Psycho-Oncology; Quality of Life

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Neuroscience and Neurology

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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