Dados do Trabalho

Título

THE INFLUENCE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE LEVELS OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY OF CANCER PATIENTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY.

Introdução

Anxiety and depression are the most common psychiatric comorbidities, and are highly prevalent in cancer patients. The COVID-19 pandemic, between the years 2020 and 2021, led to an increase in the rates of these comorbidities according to studies.

Objetivo

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the pandemic on the levels of depression and anxiety of cancer patients.

Método

Observational, cross-sectional and analytical study. The levels of depression and anxiety in cancer patients were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire. One group of patients was evaluated in 2019, before the pandemic, and the other in 2021. Qualitative variables were described by frequency and percentage, and quantitative variables by mean and standard deviation or median and quartiles. Univariate analysis was performed using the T test or Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney and the correlations by the Pearson or Spearman test, both depending on the normality assessed by the Shapiro-Wilk test. Subsequently, multivariate analysis was performed using the Stepwise-Regression method, with the inclusion criterion p <0.2 and statistical significance of p <0.05. Study approved by the Research Ethics Committee CAAE 07065118.5.0000.0082.

Resultado

99 patients were included in 2019 and 45 in 2021, totaling 144 patients. 66% were female and the average age was 55 years. After univariate analysis, the multivariate analysis included being from the pre- or post-pandemic group (p <0.001), marital status (p = 0.094) and gender (p = 0.175). After multivariate analysis, being in the pre- or post-pandemic group showed an independent relationship with the levels of anxiety and depression (p = 0.001).

Conclusão

In line with what has been demonstrated in the literature, the COVID-19 pandemic was an independent risk factor for the levels of depression and anxiety of cancer patients evaluated in this study. Although the marital status and sex showed a statistical trend, it was not confirmed in the multivariate analysis, as well as the other confounding variables analyzed. The COVID-19 pandemic was independently related to the levels of depression and anxiety of cancer patients.

Palavras-chave

Depression, Anxiety, Coronavirus Infections