Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a normal response in cancer survivors and one of the most prevalent reactions reported by up to 87% of them. However, elevated levels of FCR impair well-being, ...quality of life and professional functioning, and lead to anxiety, depression or PTSD. COVID-19 pandemic can exacerbate FCR symptoms, given the restricting access to follow-up investigations and treatment, the isolation restrictions imposed and the possibility of the medical system becoming overworked. This scoping review's objective was to synthesize the literature investigating the factors associated with higher levels of FCR in cancer survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus was on FCR in breast cancer patients, including most of the studies (5 out of 9) on this topic. However, given the novelty of the subject, the increased interest in it, and the fact that there are few studies in this field, the review included 4 other studies with mixed samples of patients with breast cancer and other oncological pathologies. Following rigorous methodological criteria, 9 studies with quantitative or mixed methodology were included (N = 4831 patients). The results indicate that high levels of FCR are associated with distress and concerns regarding the pandemic impact, with most common concerns of patients being changes in treatment plan (delays and interruptions), dysfunctional communication with medical staff or difficult access to food or medicine. The most common correlates of FCR during the pandemic are marital status, childlessness, low financial status, level of education, type of cancer diagnosis, generalized anxiety and depression.
•The context of the COVID-19 pandemic can exacerbate FCR symptoms.•High levels of FCR are associated with distress and concerns regarding the impact of the pandemic.•The most common concerns indicated by patients are: changes in treatment plan (delays and interruptions), dysfunctional communication with medical staff, and difficult access to food or medicine.•Among correlates of FCR during the pandemic are marital status, low financial status, generalized anxiety, and depression.
Introduction As cancer survival rates increase, it has become crucial to pay attention to the long-term quality of life of survivors, including sexual functioning. The quality of sexual life and fear ...of cancer progression are often unmet needs, significantly impacting cancer patients’ overall quality of life. In this study, we investigate these factors in Romanian female cancer patients and highlight their relationship with mental health and demographic variables. Methods This study included 242 Romanian female cancer patients who completed questionnaires assessing sexual functioning (EORTC QLQ-SHQ22), fear of cancer progression (FoP-Q), depression (PHQ-9), and anxiety (GAD-7). We examined these relationships using descriptive, exploratory, and regression analyses. Results Around 50% of patients reported impairments in sexual satisfaction and pain during sex. Lower sexual satisfaction increased sexual dysfunction, and heightened fear of cancer progression (FCP) were associated with depression, anxiety, younger age, lower education, rural residence, and unmarried status. Discussion This study reveals a complex interplay between sexual health, fear of cancer progression, and psychological well-being among female cancer survivors in Romania. Addressing sexual concerns, providing psychoeducation, promoting coping with the fear of progression, and utilizing interdisciplinary interventions are essential to improving these patients’ overall quality of life. These findings underscore the need for integrated care approaches that consider both physical and psychological dimensions of cancer survivorship.
The prevalence of cancer distress among patients diagnosed with cancer varies between 20-52%, data from recent years in our country indicating that almost half of them experience depressive or ...anxious symptoms throughout the course of the disease. Individualized psychosocial care should be recognized as a universal human right, and should be integrated into the patient's routine care. Screening and management of oncological distress performed by a multidisciplinary team is a necessary standard to achieve a quality patient-centered care.
Objectives. Fear of cancer progression (FoP) is one of patients’ greatest concerns and one of the most reported unmet needs. Higher levels of FoP can negatively impact a patient’s quality of life, ...impairing physical, emotional, social and functional well-being. The Romanian health-care system has difficulties in offering qualitative psychosocial assistance for cancer outpatients. Due to their specific implications, the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions might further affect FoP, therefore our objective was to investigate correlates of FoP in cancer outpatients during the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania. Material and methods. The study investigated correlates of FoP in 330 Romanian cancer outpatients assessed during 2021. T-tests, Multivariate General Linear Models and Hierarchical Regression Models were conducted in order to assess the relationship between variables. Outcomes. Results showed differences in the assessed variables depending on gender (women had scores significantly higher than men regarding FoP and illness intrusiveness) and marital status. Moreover, using a hierarchical regression model, we identified three statistically significant predictors of FoP: gender, illness intrusiveness regarding relationships and anxiety, together explaining 38.2% of the variance in global FoP scores. Anxiety was the most important predictor of FoP, explaining 21.3% of the variance in the FoP scores, 5 times more than gender and almost 2 times more than illness intrusiveness in interpersonal relationships. Conclusions. Cancer is a complex experience, impacted by both socio-demographic variables such as gender and marital status, as well as psychological variables such as anxiety and fear of disease progression. Individualized psychosocial-care should be recognized as essential, and personalized interventions should be integrated into the patient's treatment plan.
Fear of cancer progression (FoP) is one of the most frequently reported unmet needs invoked by the majority of cancer patients, which may significantly impair the quality of life (QoL) of patients. ...The major objective of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate the specificities of the relationship between different dimensions and intensity of FoP and different aspects of patients' QoL during the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania.
A nationwide sample of 330 participants completed a survey, including measures of demographic characteristics, medical variables, QoL, and FoP. Multivariate General Linear and Hierarchical Regression Models were conducted in order to assess the relationship between variables.
Our results indicate that less than a quarter of the sample experienced low, between 63 and 70% moderate, and 15% high levels of FoP. Our results also indicate that anxiety/worry related to the possibility of progression of the disease, and loss of independence produced significant differences with large effect sizes in all the dimensions of QoL.
Our results indicate that besides affective reactions, the fear of cancer survivors to lose independence, not being able to attend to their own lives, seems to be a considerable threat, especially in the context of Romanian health system which has difficulties in offering qualitative psychosocial care for cancer patients. The idea that patients will have to rely on others and may not function well independently, not being able to attend to their own lives, seems to be a considerable threat, next to the experienced affective reactions
.
Even with the relatively high rate of illicit drug use in Romania, drug prevention remains a relatively low political and professional priority. Policies focus primarily on the criminalization of ...drug use rather than on prevention and treatment. By studying official Romanian drug policies and legislative documents, as well as national and European reports on the state of the ''drug problem,'' this article focuses on the impact of policy on drug use, treatment, and prevention, with an emphasis on the criminalization of drug use and the resultant trends and practical impacts. The reported lifetime use of illicit drugs has been rising slowly but steadily over the last few years. Contraction of communicable diseases among intravenous drug users is also trending upwards. And with the emphasis on criminalization of drug use and the accompanying marginalization of users, drug-law-related offences are also likely to increase. Unmet needs in drug prevention, a declining tendency to seek drug treatment, and an increase in drug-related deaths are also indicators of the negative effects of the current policy on drug use, criminalization, infections, and the lack of effective prevention. As Romania continues to face serious financial limitations, evidence-based research on drug use is needed; best practice guidelines have to be followed in order to improve access to drug prevention, treatment, and harm-reduction services.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, FSPLJ, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
The profession of social work in Romania was re-established in the early 1990s after being completely abolished for three decades during the communist period. This article reports findings ...from the first national survey of Romanian social workers, which studied characteristics of social workers and their roles, tasks and types of services provided. In addition, it explores how burnout, income and efficacy were associated with social workers’ plans for leaving the profession or country. This study used a seventy-three-item online survey tool to collect data from 1,057 social workers from across Romania using a quota sampling strategy. Romanian social workers skewed young, female and from the Romanian ethnic group. Whilst Romania has a large rural population, social workers primarily practiced in urban areas. Social workers had fairly high levels of job satisfaction and feelings of self-efficacy, and were most likely to be working in child and family protection using direct practice methods. Over one-fifth of social workers indicated they were considering leaving the field in the next two years. Those with higher incomes had lower odds that they planned to leave the field within two years, whilst those with burnout had over twice the odds they planned to leave the field.
The prevalence of cancer distress among patients diagnosed with cancer varies between 20-52%, data from recent years in our country indicating that almost half of them experience depressive or ...anxious symptoms throughout the course of the disease. Individualized psychosocial care should be recognized as a universal human right, and should be integrated into the patient's routine care. Screening and management of oncological distress performed by a multidisciplinary team is a necessary standard to achieve a quality patient-centered care.
PDF
