Understanding the impact on COVID-19 on health behaviors pertaining to cancer prevention, screening, and treatment activities and the mental health and well-being of cancer survivors

Project Summary/Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic in the US and the world has had an impact both physical to psychological onindividuals far beyond that of the acute illness. While resources and attention have rapidly and appropriatelyshifted to this current crisis, it is unclear how the virus and necessary community level responses to slow thespread of the virus have impacted ongoing needs for cancer prevention and screening activities as well astreatment and support for the particularly vulnerable cancer survivor population. Impacts of the pandemic mayvary from simply delaying screening activities, to changed perceptions regarding cancer risk, to feelings ofbeing disconnected from needed services, to disruption of treatment and suspension of social supports forcancer survivors. Our proposed research explores and quantifies the impact of COVID-19 and the necessarypublic health response to the crisis on cancer screening and risk behaviors among a random sample ofindividuals across our catchment area, as well as the unique and potentially more challenging effects oncancer survivors. An early understanding of these issues will allow us to be more effective in providingnecessary novel supports to cancer survivors as well as identifying how to maintain screening and riskreducing behaviors both during the crisis and as we slowly return to a more normal state.Surveys, using constructs agreed upon by funded collaborating cancer centers and the NCI, assesspsychosocial and behavioral impacts of COVID-19 on two target populations, a stratified probabilistic sample ofhouseholds in Oregon and cancer patients and survivors from the Knight Cancer Institute residing in Oregon.Using an entirely app based data collection platform, the Healthy Oregon Project (HOP), surveys will beadministered in a manner that allows for ease of participation from any location with cellular service, does notrequire in person contact, and is highly flexible allowing for the addition of surveys and opportunities foradditional study contact rapidly and inexpensively. Differences in knowledge and attitudes about COVID-19,mitigation interventions related to the global pandemic, and its impact on mental health and well-being will areassessed through the application of multiple statistical approaches. Results from this research will inform acancer center's understanding of the impacts of COVID-19 on cancer prevention and control and help guidedevelopment of education and communication strategies designed to effectively address specific challengesthat were brought about by both the disease and our necessary social and public health response to thedisease.