COVID-19 Pandemic Induced Stress and Symptoms

• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06036251
• Recruitment Status: Completed
• First Posted: September 13, 2023
• Last Update Posted: September 26, 2023
• Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco
• Information provided by (Responsible Party): University of California, San Francisco

Study Description

Brief Summary:

The previous survey of oncology patients at University of California, San Francisco in 2020-2021 found an alarmingly high symptom burden and high levels of stress and loneliness among respondents. This is a follow-up study with the same sample of oncology patients and survivors who participated in the previous study

Condition or disease	Intervention/treatment
Stress Reaction; Stress, Emotional; Stress; COVID-19 Pandemic	Other: Questionnaires

Detailed Description:

OBJECTIVES:

1. Evaluate for associations among general and disease-specific measures of stress and measures of social isolation and loneliness.
2. Evaluate for associations between general and disease-specific stress and common symptoms associated with cancer and its treatments.
3. Evaluate for associations between social isolation and loneliness and common symptoms associated with cancer and its treatments.
4. Evaluate for associations between social isolation and loneliness and health behaviors and quality of life (QOL) as compared to our last survey. as a baseline.
5. Evaluate for changes in stress, social isolation, loneliness and symptom burden between the two time points.

OUTLINE:

Patients will be asked to complete self-report questionnaires online. Questionnaires will take approximately 60 minutes to complete. and directed to take rest periods at 20 minute intervals. Participants will be given two weeks to complete the instruments.

Study Design

• Study Type: Observational
• Actual Enrollment: 415 participants
• Observational Model: Cohort
• Time Perspective: Prospective
• Official Title: COVID-19 Pandemic Induced Stress and Symptoms - Follow-up Study
• Actual Study Start Date: February 1, 2023
• Actual Primary Completion Date: April 30, 2023
• Actual Study Completion Date: April 30, 2023

Groups and Cohorts

Group/Cohort	Intervention/treatment
Prior oncology participants; Oncology patients at University of California, San Francisco who participated in the previous study which evaluated the additional stressors imposed by COVID-19 (i.e., social isolation, loneliness) and ongoing general and disease specific stress on the symptom burden of cancer patients and survivors.	Other: Questionnaires; Self-reported quality of life (QOL) measures completed online

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures :

1. Correlation of scores on perceived stress scale (PSS) and social isolation scale (SIS) [ Time Frame: 2 days ]
   Scores on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) from the previous study and this study, along with scores on the Social Isolation Scale (SIS) from the previous study, this study will be compared. The PSS is a 10-item questionnaire which asks participants about feelings and thoughts during the last month. Scores of each item ranging from 0 = "Never" to 4 = "Very Often" for a total score range of 0 to 40. Scores are obtained by reversing responses (e.g., 0 = 4, 1 = 3, 2 = 2, 3 = 1 & 4 = 0) to 4 of the 10 positively stated items and scores are calculated by summing the total. Higher scores indicate higher degree of perceived stress. The Social Isolation Scale (SIS) is a measure used to assess an individual's tendency to isolate themselves from social situations. Scores on this scale are distributed with a mean of 15.0 and a standard deviation of 4.5.
2. Correlation of scores on the perceived stress scale (PSS) and loneliness scale [ Time Frame: 2 days ]
   Scores on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) from the previous study and this study, along with scores on the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale from the previous study, and this study will be compared. The PSS is a 10-item questionnaire which asks participants about feelings and thoughts during the last month. Scores of each item ranging from 0 = "Never" to 4 = "Very Often" for a total score range of 0 to 40. Scores are obtained by reversing responses (e.g., 0 = 4, 1 = 3, 2 = 2, 3 = 1 & 4 = 0) to 4 of the 10 positively stated items and scores are calculated by summing the total. Higher scores indicate higher degree of perceived stress. The 3-item UCLA loneliness scale is a 3-item scale used for measuring loneliness with scores ranging from 1='Hardly ever" to 3=Often. Scores are summed to generate a total score with higher scores indicating a higher degree of loneliness.
3. Correlation of scores on the perceived stress scale (PSS) and symptom severity scores [ Time Frame: 2 days ]
   Scores on the PSS from the previous study and this study, along with scores on Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) from the previous study, and this study will be compared. The PSS is a 10-item questionnaire which asks participants about feelings and thoughts during the last month. Scores of each item ranging from 0 = "Never" to 4 = "Very Often" for a total score range of 0 to 40. Scores are obtained by reversing responses (e.g., 0 = 4, 1 = 3, 2 = 2, 3 = 1 & 4 = 0) to 4 of the 10 positively stated items and scores are calculated by summing the total. Higher scores indicate higher degree of perceived stress. The MSAS is used to assess common physical symptoms experienced by persons with cancer. The values for severity and frequency measurements are 1='slight' or 'rarely' and 4= 'very severe'/'almost constantly' .Higher values indicate a greater number of symptoms.

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Sexes Eligible for Study: All
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Only previous patients and survivors who took part in our last COVID survey in 2020-2021 who agreed to be re-contacted for future research at University of California, San Francisco

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Current/Previous diagnosis of cancer
• Able to read, write, and understand English
• Able to complete the study questionnaires on line
• Able consent to participate.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants of our previous COVID survey study who opted out of future research.

Contacts and Locations

Locations

United States, California

University of California, San Francisco

San Francisco, California, United States, 94143

Sponsors and Collaborators

University of California, San Francisco

Investigators

• Principal Investigator: Christine Miaskowski, RN,PhD,FAAN; University of California, San Francisco

More Information

Publications:

Miaskowski C, Paul SM, Snowberg K, Abbott M, Borno HT, Chang SM, Chen LM, Cohen B, Cooper BA, Hammer MJ, Kenfield SA, Kober KM, Laffan A, Levine JD, Pozzar R, Rhoads K, Tsai KK, Van Blarigan EL, Van Loon K. Loneliness and symptom burden in oncology patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cancer. 2021 Sep 1;127(17):3246-3253. doi: 10.1002/cncr.33603. Epub 2021 Apr 27.

Miaskowski C, Paul SM, Snowberg K, Abbott M, Borno H, Chang S, Chen LM, Cohen B, Hammer MJ, Kenfield SA, Kober KM, Levine JD, Pozzar R, Rhoads KF, Van Blarigan EL, Van Loon K. Stress and Symptom Burden in Oncology Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2020 Nov;60(5):e25-e34. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.08.037. Epub 2020 Sep 2.

Miaskowski C, Paul SM, Snowberg K, Abbott M, Borno H, Chang S, Chen LM, Cohen B, Cooper BA, Hammer MJ, Kenfield SA, Laffan A, Levine JD, Pozzar R, Tsai KK, Van Blarigan EL, Van Loon K. Oncology patients' perceptions of and experiences with COVID-19. Support Care Cancer. 2021 Apr;29(4):1941-1950. doi: 10.1007/s00520-020-05684-7. Epub 2020 Aug 18.

• Responsible Party: University of California, San Francisco
• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06036251
• Other Study ID Numbers: 23804; NCI-2023-06245 ( Registry Identifier: NCI Clinical Trials Reporting Program (CTRP) )
• First Posted: September 13, 2023
• Last Update Posted: September 26, 2023
• Last Verified: September 2023

Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:

• Plan to Share IPD: No

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: No

Keywords provided by University of California, San Francisco:

Follow-up Study

Additional relevant MeSH terms:

COVID-19; Fractures, Stress; Stress, Psychological; Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumonia; Respiratory Tract Infections; Infections; Virus Diseases; Coronavirus Infections; Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Fractures, Bone; Wounds and Injuries; Behavioral Symptoms