Cancer Patients’ Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and Its Predictor Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Survey Study in China

Abstract Objective To evaluate Chinese cancer patients’ health related quality of life and its predictor factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method We conducted an online cross-sectional survey study among Chinese cancer patients in 2020 around China by utilizing the validated Mandarin version of COVID-19 IHRQOL questionnaire. Results 387 patients participated in this survey, in which 283(72.9%) patients worried the pandemic’s impact on their cancer care, 69% feared getting infected by COVID-19. 30.7% and 17.3% patients had experienced depression and social isolation. More than 80% patients reported perceived benefits such as feeling more grateful. 26.3% patients reported financial hardship and 44.9% reported cancer care disruption. Multivariate analyses showed that more financial hardship was significantly associated with higher level of COVID-19 specific distress (p < 0.001). Conclusion Addressing health care services disruption and financial hardship, as well as promoting functional social support might help Chinese cancer patients acquire better HRQoL during the pandemic.