The Needs of Older Adult Cancer Survivors During COVID-19: Implications for Oncology Nursing.
Heather M Kilgour, Jacqueline Galica, John L Oliffe and 1 others
PMID 34776292WHAT IT FOUND
Older cancer survivors strongly preferred in-person appointments over virtual care, citing missed physical cues and rushed visits.
Excluded caregivers left patients with less support to retain information. Many avoided seeking help to spare the health system, delaying care for new symptoms.
Key findings
01Participants expressed a strong preference for in-person appointments, describing virtual visits as abrupt, rushed, and lacking the reassurance of physical examination and non-verbal cues.
02Visitation restrictions prevented caregivers from attending appointments, which participants linked to reduced access to information and difficulty retaining treatment plans due to memory or hearing challenges.
03Survivors reported feeling a moral pressure to stay healthy to avoid burdening the health system, leading some to delay discussing concerns or self-manage symptoms via the internet.
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 predominantly White (91.7% at wave one) and well-educated, limiting the transferability of findings to more diverse populations. Interviews were conducted by telephone, so visual cues and body language were not captured. Six participants were lost to follow-up after wave one, which may introduce attrition bias. The study describes experiences and perceptions; it does not measure clinical outcomes or the effectiveness of specific nursing interventions.
Declared interests
The work was supported by a Queen's University SARS CoV-2/COVID-19 grant and the University of British Columbia Hampton New Faculty Fund. The authors declare no competing financial interests or personal relationships.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these preferences as evidence that virtual care causes worse clinical outcomes. The study reports on patient experiences and barriers to care, not on survival rates or complication detection. A preference for in-person visits does not mean virtual visits are ineffective for all patients or all clinical situations.