Quality of life and occupational performance of children with cancer in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of rehabilitation

Abstract

Purpose This study was designed to determine the changes in the quality of life (QOL) and occupational performance of children with cancer and to examine their rehabilitation needs during the pandemic period in Turkey. Methods 60 children with cancer and their families participated in the study. The first and second assessments were carried out in April and September 2020, respectively. The pediatric quality of life inventory parent proxy-report was used to evaluate the QOL, and the Canadian occupational performance measurement was used to evaluate children’s occupational performance and satisfaction. A qualitative interview was planned to determine the impact of the pandemic on children with cancer alongside their families and therefore determining the rehabilitation needs of the children. Results While there is no statistically significant change in the pain-related conditions of the children in the first six months of the pandemic ( p > 0.05), procedural and treatment anxieties of the children increased during the treatment. Their QOL including cognitive state, perceived physical appearance and communication skills also showed a statistically significant decrease ( p < 0.05). Both the occupational performance and satisfaction scores decreased significantly, covering the pre-pandemic and pandemic era ( p < 0.01). In the qualitative interview parents expressed their children's need for physical, psychological and social participation support. Also, they emphasized the need for time management. Conclusions During the COVID-19 pandemic, the QOL and occupational performance level of children with cancer decreased significantly. Holistic rehabilitation approaches complying with pandemic conditions are likely to benefit these children. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11136-021-02857-7.

Quality of life in cancer patients during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic: A systematic review study

“…However, people with chronic diseases have a lower psychological status due to their many physical problems (25). Distance from community and friends, closure of health centers, high rumors about the virus, high transmission power, lack of definitive treatment, and stress caused by the disease caused patients with chronic diseases to have many mental and physical problems during these two years (19). Meanwhile, patients with cancer are at higher risk for COVID-19 because they have a weaker immune system (33).…”

“…Before the epidemic, patients had the experience of not being understood by their friends and family due to sensitivity to health and were labeled obsessive, but now they feel normal and are confirmed by others regarding the correctness of the observance of health standards. Patients who were recovering reported that the epidemic gave them a valuable perspective (19). The lack of organized psychological services was one of the reasons for the decline in QoL and mental health of cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to patients' psychological turmoil (21).…”

“…Based on the evidence, cancer patients have refused to go to hospitals and medical centers for fear of developing COVID-19 and have stopped their radiation therapy due to this concern (19,20). The increasing prevalence of COVID-19 in cancer patients receiving clinical services indicates that these patients are at risk (21).…”

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s occupations

“…Productivity. Ten articles (Anakwe et al, 2021;Brown & Lynch, 2022;Gadermann et al, 2022;Güney et al, 2022;Kara et al, 2021;Kirsch et al, 2021;Krishnaratne et al, 2022;Park et al, 2022;Tulchin-Francis et al, 2021;Önal et al, 2021) regarded the changes in occupations related to the productivity, especially education, of children during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, several measures had to be taken by governments worldwide, including remote education, reduced attendance in school classes, testing, use of masks, thorough cleaning and handwashing, ventilation etc.…”

Covid-19 Distribution and Structure of the Population by Age and Gender of the Arctic Regions: Is There Any Connection?

“…Меры, принятые почти во всех странах для борьбы с пандемией, ввергают весь мир в масштабный кризис и, как следствие, в глубокую глобальную рецессию. ECONOMIC SCIENCES (08.00.05, 08.00.10, 08.00.13, 08.00.14) В настоящее время активно исследуются вопросы влияния пандемии на психологическое и физическое состояние человека [1,2], качество его жизни и обеспечение населения медицинскими услугами, а также анализируются экономические и демографические последствия [3][4][5].…”