The relationship between fear of COVID-19 and supportive care needs of cancer patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy

Objective: The research has been done in order to determine the correlation between the fear of COVID-19 and the need for supportive care of the cancer patients who are taking the chemotherapy treatment through their feet. Method: The research, which is both descriptive and correlation seeker, is done with 285 volunteers who are diagnoesed with early stages of cancer between the June 2021 and September 2022 at the Prof. Dr. Mustafa Samur Chemoterapy Unit in Akdeniz University Hospital. Data are collected by using the Personal Information form, Scale of Fear of COVID-19, Scale of Need for Supportive Care Short Form via face to face meetings. Data were analised via the 23.0 version of SPSS and evaluated at the significance level of p<0.05. Ethical approval, institutions permission and written approvals from the volunteers were taken. Results: It is seen that 62.5% of the participants are between the ages of 41 and 65, 51.6% are women, 45.3% are primary school graduates, 83.2% are married, 91.6% are living with their families, 81.8% are receiving supportive care and 74% are not infected with COVID-19. Avarage points are calculated to be; for the Scale of Fear of COVID-19 is 18.66±6.07 and for the Scale of Need for Supportive Care Short Form is 87.73±22.54. It is seen that there is a statistically significant correlation between the need for supportive care and fear of COVID-19 (p<0.05), it is determined that the fear of COVID-19 had a positive influence on the need for supportive care, increasing it by 9.5% (Adj R2=0.095). It is determined that as the age of the cancer patient increased their need of supportive care decreased (Beta=-0.136) and the female patients need of supportive care is to be less than of the male patients (Beta =-0.258). Conclusion: It is seen that there is a positive correlation between the fear of COVID-19 and need of supportive care among the cancer patients. With the cancer patients as the fear of COVID-19 increased the need of supportive care also increased. The awareness studies must be planned for the cancer patients to reduce the fear of COVID-19