Exploring experiences among people diagnosed with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative descriptive study.

Legge, H.; Toohey, K.; Kavanagh, P.S.; Paterson, C.

Abstract

The objective of the study is to describe the experiences of people diagnosed with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative data were collected through semistructured interviews conducted with people affected by cancer in the Australian context. Following institutional ethical approval, interviews were conducted over Microsoft Teams and Zoom platforms and complied with confidentiality requirements. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed, and emergent themes were developed using thematic analysis to understand patient experiences of cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic was disruptive to the daily experiences of supportive care. Four overarching themes were identified related to: 1) the impact on accessing healthcare services, 2) encounters with healthcare professionals, 3) the impact on daily living, and 4) the impact of COVID on psychological well-being. As the COVID-19 pandemic held global consequences on cancer practices, it is recommended that nursing and other multidisciplinary healthcare professionals reflect upon these findings, in the context of planning for future pandemics. We encourage further exploration into the sustainability of telehealth services universally, given the issues highlighted in this study.

Citation

LEGGE, H., TOOHEY, K., KAVANAGH, P.S. and PATERSON, C. 2023. Exploring experiences among people diagnosed with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative descriptive study. Seminars in oncology nursing [online], 39(6), article number 151508. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2023.151508

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 11, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Oct 11, 2023
• Publication Date: Dec 31, 2023
• Deposit Date: Oct 13, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 13, 2023
• Journal: Seminars in Oncology Nursing
• Print ISSN: 0749-2081
• Electronic ISSN: 1878-3449
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 39
• Issue: 6
• Article Number: 151508
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2023.151508
• Keywords: Accessibility; Cancer; COVID-19; Supportive care; Sustainability; Telehealth
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2107959
• Additional Information: This article has been published with separate supporting information. This supporting information has been incorporated into a single file on this repository and can be found at the end of the file associated with this output.