Impact of the Pandemic on Cancer Survivors’ Mental Health
Economic hardship and its ramifications may also significantly effect
patients’ mental health.58 Unemployment has been
reported to be strongly associated with suicide [odds ratio (OR) 2.6,
95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0-3.4].59 In a study
investigating “economic suicides”, it was found that the 2008
recession was associated with at least 10,000 additional suicides in
Europe and North America between 2008 and 2010.60 The
effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and suicide rates is
difficult to predict. Several large-scale studies have linked a current
cancer diagnosis with increased incidence of suicide (from a 1.9-fold
risk61 to a 4.4-fold risk62 in a
more recent study) when compared to the general population. HNC
survivors, in particular, have been found to be at higher risk of
suicide and suicide-related death compared to patients with other types
of cancer.62,63 Cancer-related financial toxicity has
been associated with depressed mood (OR 1.95, 95% CI
1.29-2.95),5 all of which may be exacerbated by
unemployment and economic burden during this pandemic. This highlights
an imperative need for the incorporation of mental health services and
supportive interventions, even if these services may only be delivered
through telehealth platforms within the current framework of public
health measures.