Psychological resilience and related factors in cancer patients during the covid-19 pandemic

COVID-19 is the largest epidemic in the 21st century and brings many psychosocial problems. Studies show that cancer patients may be at increased risk of COVID-19, and the prognosis may be worse in these group. The aim of this study was to determine the COVID-19 risk perception, anxiety and depression levels in cancer patients, to compare anxiety-depression symptom severity in cancer patients and healthy volunteers, and to determine the variables related to psychological resilience (PR) which could form the basis for mental health during COVID-19 pandemic and cancer treatment. In this study, 113 cancer patients, who are treated for any solid organ cancer in Başkent University Medical Oncology Department between May and August 2020, and 293 healthy volunteers, who are not healthcare workers, were included. The sociodemographic data form, the COVID-19 pandemic risk perception form (COVID-19 RP), Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS), The Mentalization Scale (MentS), Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), Ways of Coping Inventory (WCI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were filled out by all participants; the cancer treatment side effects form and The Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI) were filled out only by the cancer patients; and the cancer diagnosis and treatment information form was filled out by the investigator by checking the hospital records. In our study, anxiety and depression symptom levels were found to be higher than epidemiological studies conducted before the pandemic. In addition, higher levels of anxiety and COVID-19 RP were found in women and those who spent more time on social media. COVID-19 RP, anxiety and depression symptom levels decrease with the increase in mentalization capacity and in PR. It has been found that PR, stress coping attitudes and mentalization capacity are associated with anxiety, depression, and PTSD in cancer patients. It seems important to support PR, positive coping styles and self-mentalization capacity, for avoiding psychopathologies that may arise during treatment in cancer patients. During the pandemic, even with the help of online surveys, screening the mental health of the society and vulnerable groups is indispensable in terms of developing protective measures.