Risk perceptions and health care use in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic in adults treated for childhood cancer

Asmaa Janah, Charlotte Demoor-Goldschmidt, Florent De Vathaire, Nicolas Bougas, Jacqueline Clavel, Claire Poulalhon, Brigitte Lacour, Vincent Souchard, Angela Jackson, Leonie Casagranda, Claire Berger, Rodrigue Allodji, Nadia Haddy, Chiraz El Fayech, Brice Fresneau, Agnès Dumas

    Résultats de recherche: Contribution à un journalArticleRevue par des pairs

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    Résumé

    Purpose: During the COVID-19 pandemic, childhood cancer survivors (CCS) may have felt more at risk of having severe consequences of COVID-19 and therefore may have been more likely to defer their health care use. We aimed to assess the risk perceptions of CCS related to COVID-19 (perceived infection risk, perceived risk of experiencing a severe illness in the event of infection), and their forgoing of health care during the year 2020. Methods: In December 2020, we interviewed through an online self-report questionnaire 580 5-year CCS participating in the French Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (FCCSS) cohort. Combining clinical and patient-reported outcomes, we studied predictors of perceived risks related to COVID-19 and forgoing health care. Results: Overall, 60% of respondents stated that COVID-19 could have severe consequences for their health if infected. Survivors with a cardiovascular disease and those who felt more at risk of being infected were more likely to think that COVID-19 could have severe health consequences for them. Moreover, 30% of respondents seeking care declared they had forgone at least one medical appointment in 2020. Forgoing medical appointments was more common among CCS who reported a deterioration in their financial situation in 2020 and those who felt more at risk of being infected. Conclusions: This study shows that a considerable proportion of survivors had forgone medical appointments because of the pandemic; forgoing care was more frequent among the most socioeconomically disadvantaged survivors. Implications for cancer survivors. This study presents data hitherto absent in the literature and suggests the need to develop telehealth to ensure appropriate long-term follow-up of CCS.

    langue originaleAnglais
    Pages (de - à)6263-6271
    Nombre de pages9
    journalSupportive Care in Cancer
    Volume30
    Numéro de publication7
    Les DOIs
    étatPublié - 1 juil. 2022

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