Hispanic cancer survivors exposed to multiple natural disasters: Pre–post-disaster changes in anxiety, depression, PTSD, perceived stress, and physical symptom burden Journal Article
| Authors: | Castro-Figueroa, E. M.; Peña-Vargas, C.; Rodríguez-Santiago, M.; Figueroa, J. I.; Hernández, R.; Rodríguez, Z.; Jim, H.; Pereira, C.; Torres-Blasco, N.; Flores, I.; Costas-Muñiz, R.; Armaiz-Pena, G. N. |
| Article Title: | Hispanic cancer survivors exposed to multiple natural disasters: Pre–post-disaster changes in anxiety, depression, PTSD, perceived stress, and physical symptom burden |
| Abstract: | Background: Studies evaluating the effects of natural disasters on cancer outcomes are scarce, especially among USA ethnic minority groups, and none have focused on the effects of concurrent natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this secondary data analysis is to explore the impact of concurrent exposure to COVID-19 and earthquakes on psychological distress and symptom burden among Puerto Rican cancer survivors. Methods: This secondary data analysis (n = 101) was part of a longitudinal case–control cohort study (n = 402) aimed at describing unmet psychological needs among Puerto Rican cancer patients and non-cancer subjects previously exposed to Hurricane María in 2017. The research team pooled data from participants (cancer survivors and non-cancer group) from their baseline assessments and from follow-up assessments conducted during January–July 2020 (earthquake and the lockdown period). A descriptive, paired t-test, non-parametric mean rank test, and two-sided Pearson correlation analyses were performed. Results: Psychological distress and cancer symptom burden diminished over time. Resilience was significantly correlated with all the psychological and symptom burden variables during both pre- and post-earthquake and COVID-19 assessment periods. Conclusions: The results support the role of resilience, social support, and post-traumatic growth as potential protective factors preventing psychological distress and diminishing cancer symptom burden among cancer survivors exposed to natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2024 by the authors. |
| Keywords: | adult; controlled study; major clinical study; cancer patient; chemotherapy; follow up; quality of life; prevalence; health behavior; cancer survivor; questionnaire; social support; depression; symptom; correlation analysis; cognition; distress syndrome; major depression; mental disease; posttraumatic stress disorder; anxiety; mental health; wellbeing; psychological distress; pandemic; resilience; protection; ptsd; data extraction; natural disasters; puerto rico; cancer; human; female; article; sociodemographics; likert scale; perceived stress; natural disaster; household income; patient health questionnaire 8; ethnic minority; earthquakes; coronavirus disease 2019; covid-19; covid-19 pandemic; cancer symptom burden; perceived stress scale; generalized anxiety disorder-7; lockdown; brief resilience scale; secondary data analysis; earthquake event; hurricane event; mental disorder |
| Journal Title: | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
| Volume: | 21 |
| Issue: | 9 |
| ISSN: | 1661-7827 |
| Publisher: | MDPI AG |
| Date Published: | 2024-09-01 |
| Start Page: | 1237 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.3390/ijerph21091237 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| PMCID: | PMC11431579 |
| PUBMED: | 39338119 |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | The MSK Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA008748) is acknowledged in the PubMed record and PDF -- Source: Scopus |
