Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39904771›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2025

Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer-related distress among thoracic oncology patients at a rural cancer center.

Sierra M Silverwood, Douglas Peters, Veronica Bernacchi, Yelena Kier, Kelly A Hirko

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Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Sierra M Silverwood *College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA. silverwo@msu.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8505-8014
Douglas Peters *University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Veronica BernacchiCollege of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
Yelena KierMunson Healthcare, Traverse City, MI, USA.
Kelly A HirkoDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeCancer-related distress (CRD) is frequently observed in rural settings and may have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined pre and post COVID-19 changes in CRD among individuals treated for thoracic cancers at a rural cancer center.

methodsPatient demographics, clinical information, and CRD measures derived from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network psychosocial distress problem list were abstracted from electronic medical records for thoracic oncology patients treated at a rural Michigan cancer center before (January 1, 2019-January 1, 2020; n=139) and during (January 20, 2020-January 31, 2021; n=84) the COVID-19 pandemic. CRD scores were calculated by summing the items on the problem lists, and the prevalence of CRD was examined both overall and by specific sources of distress (practical, emotional, social, and physical concerns). We assessed changes in CRD overall and by type using chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests, and multivariable logistic regression models.

resultsCRD prevalence increased by 9.1% during vs. before the pandemic (97.6% vs. 88.5%; p=0.02), with the largest increases evident for emotional (82.1% vs. 64.0%; p=0.004) and physical (82.1% vs. 67.6%; p=0.02) concerns. CRD scores were slightly higher during vs. before the pandemic, but the differences were not significant (all p-values≥0.05). Compared to those treated in the year prior, patients treated during the pandemic had higher odds of elevated CRD (OR (95% CI) =1.86 (1.1, 3.2)), and practical concerns (OR (95% CI) =2.19 (1.3, 3.8)).

conclusionsFindings from this preliminary study suggest an increased prevalence of CRD among rural thoracic oncology patients treated during compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indexed as

Cancer Care FacilitiesCOVID-19Psychological DistressStress, PsychologicalThoracic NeoplasmsAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMichiganMiddle AgedPrevalenceCancerCOVID-19DistressOncologyPsychosocialRural

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.