Corresponding Author:
Eric Adjei Boakye, PhD
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Department of Population Science and Policy
201 E. Madison Street, P. O. Box 19664
Springfield, IL 62794
Phone: 217-545-8511
Email: eadjeiboakye49@siumed.edu
Word count: 1,100
Conflict of Interest: None
Funding Sources: None
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization1 and is having repercussions throughout our healthcare system and society. National projections suggest that incidence and mortality of people with COVID-19 infection is going to significantly increase. Appropriately, much attention has been paid to addressing the acute challenges associated with caring for the surge of critically ill patients. This includes shortages of testing and personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare providers and inability of the healthcare system to handle the influx of patients. The pandemic is placing strains on our healthcare system and impacting patients who are seeking care for the infection and other urgent and emergent medical conditions. However, what has received less attention is the need for continuing, but perhaps nonurgent, care for non-COVID-19 patients with chronic conditions such as cancer. As our longer-term response to the pandemic evolves, we must purposefully consider such patients.
The impact of pandemic response interventions across society are significant, with social distancing becoming the norm, many states entering a ‘lockdown’ condition, and millions of people becoming unemployed. This situation is particularly troubling for cancer survivors and their caregivers as the survivors have continuing care needs and both they and their caregivers already face burdens associated with diminished income, reduced social contact and support, and increased risk for anxiety and depression. A recent study in China by Liang et al. indicated that patients with cancer may be at a higher risk of both COVID-19 itself and subsequent adverse health outcomes.2 These impacts may be particularly disproportionate a) in rural areas, already experiencing paucities of material, care, and financial resources, and b) among head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors, who already face increased levels of isolation and depression associated with their cancer and treatment outcomes (e.g. disfigurement, increased daily care requirements). We urge purposeful consideration of COVID-19 responses in view of the special circumstances faced by HNC survivors, especially those residing in rural areas.