The psychological wellbeing of a TYA Cancer population during COVID-19

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    The Psychological Wellbeing of a UK Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic – A longitudinal analysis of distress, resilience, personal strength and perceived impact.

  • IRAS ID

    285244

  • Contact name

    Clare Jacobson

  • Contact email

    clare.jacobson@gstt.nhs.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 6 months, 0 days

  • Research summary

    The teenage and young adult (TYA) cancer population (aged 16-24 years at time of diagnosis) are a group facing unique challenges separating them from their peers. This leads to psychological distress as well as to growth and resilience.

    Understanding their psychological experience during the covid-19 epidemic, particularly for specific cancer groups, treatment
    stages and treatment type is important for future service provision, for example if covid-anxiety prevents patients attending hospital it could impact treatment compliance and survival. Longitudinal data that follows the national covid strategy will inform psychological provision.

    Patients known to TYA services in the UK will be invited to complete an online survey seeking qualitative and
    quantitative data on their psychological experience. They will be asked to follow-up by completing this again, once after 2 months and again after a further 3 months.

    The data will give an overview of the resilience, distress and relational impact covid-19 has had for TYA cancer patients at various stages of disease and treatment. This data is vital to understanding later psychological effects.

  • REC name

    North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    20/NE/0190

  • Date of REC Opinion

    23 Jul 2020

  • REC opinion

    Unfavourable Opinion