TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural and urban cancer patients' experiences, health behaviors, and perceptions
AU - Peoples, Anita R.
AU - Oswald, Laura B.
AU - Ose, Jennifer
AU - Daniels, Bailee
AU - Himbert, Caroline
AU - Hathaway, Cassandra A.
AU - Gigic, Biljana
AU - Kirchhoff, Anne C.
AU - Lin, Tengda
AU - Grossman, Douglas
AU - Tward, Jonathan
AU - Varghese, Thomas K.
AU - Figueiredo, Jane C.
AU - Toriola, Adetunji T.
AU - Beck, Anna
AU - Scaife, Courtney
AU - Shibata, David
AU - LaStayo, Paul
AU - Gonzalez, Brian
AU - Salas, Karen
AU - Ashworth, Anjelica
AU - Matsen, Cindy
AU - Christenson, Cristina
AU - Ma, Debra S.
AU - Colman, Howard
AU - Hunt, Jason P.
AU - Jones, Kevin B.
AU - Lee, Catherine J.
AU - Larson, Mikaela
AU - Onega, Tracy
AU - Akerley, Wallace L.
AU - Li, Christopher I.
AU - Schneider, Martin
AU - Penedo, Frank J.
AU - Siegel, Erin M.
AU - Tworoger, Shelley S.
AU - Ulrich, Cornelia M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 National Rural Health Association.
PY - 2022/9/1
Y1 - 2022/9/1
N2 - Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many facets of life. We evaluated pandemic-related health care experiences, COVID-19 prevention behaviors and measures, health behaviors, and psychosocial outcomes among rural and urban cancer patients. Methods: Among 1,472 adult cancer patients, who visited Huntsman Cancer Institute in the past 4 years and completed a COVID-19 survey (August-September 2020), we assessed the impact of the pandemic on medical appointments, prevention/health behaviors, and psychosocial factors, stratified by urbanicity. Findings: Mean age was 61 years, with 52% female, 97% non-Hispanic White, and 27% were residing in rural areas. Rural versus urban patients were more likely to be older, not employed, uninsured, former/current smokers, consume alcohol, and have pandemic-related changes/cancellations in surgery appointments (all P<.05). Changes/cancellations in other health care access (eg, doctor's visits) were also common, particularly among urban patients. Urban versus rural patients were more likely to socially distance, use masks and hand sanitizer, and experience changes in exercise habits and in their daily lives (all P<.05). Less social interaction and financial stress were common among cancer patients but did not differ by urbanicity. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial impact on cancer patients, with several challenges specific to rural patients. This comprehensive study provides unique insights into the first 6 months of COVID-19 pandemic-related experiences and continuity of care among rural and urban cancer patients predominantly from Utah. Further research is needed to better characterize the pandemic's short- and long-term effects on rural and urban cancer patients and appropriate interventions.
AB - Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many facets of life. We evaluated pandemic-related health care experiences, COVID-19 prevention behaviors and measures, health behaviors, and psychosocial outcomes among rural and urban cancer patients. Methods: Among 1,472 adult cancer patients, who visited Huntsman Cancer Institute in the past 4 years and completed a COVID-19 survey (August-September 2020), we assessed the impact of the pandemic on medical appointments, prevention/health behaviors, and psychosocial factors, stratified by urbanicity. Findings: Mean age was 61 years, with 52% female, 97% non-Hispanic White, and 27% were residing in rural areas. Rural versus urban patients were more likely to be older, not employed, uninsured, former/current smokers, consume alcohol, and have pandemic-related changes/cancellations in surgery appointments (all P<.05). Changes/cancellations in other health care access (eg, doctor's visits) were also common, particularly among urban patients. Urban versus rural patients were more likely to socially distance, use masks and hand sanitizer, and experience changes in exercise habits and in their daily lives (all P<.05). Less social interaction and financial stress were common among cancer patients but did not differ by urbanicity. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial impact on cancer patients, with several challenges specific to rural patients. This comprehensive study provides unique insights into the first 6 months of COVID-19 pandemic-related experiences and continuity of care among rural and urban cancer patients predominantly from Utah. Further research is needed to better characterize the pandemic's short- and long-term effects on rural and urban cancer patients and appropriate interventions.
KW - COVID-19
KW - cancer
KW - exercise habits
KW - financial stress
KW - health care delivery
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85125544281&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/jrh.12648
DO - 10.1111/jrh.12648
M3 - Article
C2 - 35243690
AN - SCOPUS:85125544281
SN - 0890-765X
VL - 38
SP - 886
EP - 899
JO - Journal of Rural Health
JF - Journal of Rural Health
IS - 4
ER -