The Impact of Canadian Medical Delays and Preventive Measures on Breast Cancer Experience: A Silent Battle Masked by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Justine Fortin, Marjolaine Rivest-Beauregard, Clarisse Defer and 7 others
PMID 35484788WHAT IT FOUND
Women with breast cancer described pandemic delays and no-accompaniment rules as distressing.
They asked teams to allow support people, communicate empathetically, and provide clear follow-up. These are patient recommendations, not tested outcomes.
Key findings
01Women diagnosed and treated during the pandemic reported stressful delays, and a participant said her diagnosis changed from stage 0 to stage 1 after low-priority delays.
0215 participants identified lack of accompaniment during screening, diagnosis, or treatment as a problem, and patients recommended allowing a support person at important appointments.
035 women were required to self-assess symptoms and side effects, and one did not notice her tumor had continued to grow.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was limited to French-speaking women and was not representative of the breast cancer population. Participants were mostly younger than average and highly educated, so older or less educated patients may not be reflected. The study did not test whether any recommendation improves patient outcomes. People without videoconference technology were excluded, so experiences of those with limited digital access may be missing. Distress scores were descriptive and not used as a primary outcome.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The work was supported by a Canadian Psychological Association student grant.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that allowing accompaniment or other suggestions will improve outcomes. This study reports patient experiences and recommendations, not tested interventions.