The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Patients’ Access to Diagnostic and Treatment Services in Kerman Province: A Qualitative Study

Jangipour Afshar, Parya; Sadidi, Nasrin; Nasiri, Naser; Sharifi, Hamid; Jaafari, Zahra

doi:10.34172/JHAD.92354

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Patients’ Access to Diagnostic and Treatment Services in Kerman Province: A Qualitative Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Parya Jangipour Afshar ¹

Nasrin Sadidi ¹

Naser Nasiri ²

Hamid Sharifi ³

Zahra Jaafari ⁴

¹ Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

² School of Public Health, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran

³ HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

⁴ Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

10.34172/JHAD.92354

Abstract

Background: Pandemics affect patients’ access to diagnostic and treatment services. As cancer patients need regular follow-up,
any obstacle in accessing services can affect the conditions of these patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate
the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer patients’ access to diagnostic and treatment services.
Methods: In this qualitative study, 15 people were selected through a targeted sampling method among the patients who were
referred to cancer treatment centers in Kerman. The interviews were semi-structured and face-to-face and were conducted in
April 2021. The data were analyzed using directed content analysis.
Results: Among the people included in this study, 10 (66.7%) were women and more than half of the investigated people were
in the 36 to 55 years age group (53.3%). These patients faced challenges including delay in treatment, mental and psychological
problems, financial problems, and delay in COVID-19 vaccination.
Conclusion: Various challenges and factors play a role in cancer patients’ access to diagnostic and treatment services during the
pandemic. Therefore, more physical space should be allocated to them in treatment environments to reassure them and facilitate
their timely referral to doctors. In addition, psychiatric consultations to identify the problems of cancer patients and regular
follow-up of these patients can reduce their problems during pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords

Pandemic

COVID-19

Cancer

Challenges

Diagnostic and treatment services

Subjects