biostudies-literatureOtto AKDuncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk AssessmentMD Anderson&apos;s Cancer Center Support GrantAmerican Cancer SocietyRising Tide FoundationRichard E. Haynes Distinguished Professorship for Clinical Cancer Prevention at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterNCI NIH HHSNational Institutes of Healthe0297077https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10939216biostudies-literatureUnknown19(3)<h4>Objective</h4>Little evidence exists on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer survivors, limiting recommendations to improve health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in this population. We describe survivors' pandemic experiences and examine associations between COVID-19-related exposures, psychosocial experiences, and HRQoL.<h4>Methods</h4>Between May 2020-April 2021, survivors completed cross-sectional questionnaires capturing COVID-19-related exposures (e.g., exposure to virus, job loss); psychosocial experiences (i.e., COVID-19-related anxiety/depression, disruptions to health care and daily activities/social interactions, satisfaction with providers' response to COVID, financial hardship, perceived benefits of the pandemic, social support, and perceived stress management ability); and HRQoL.<h4>Results</h4>Data were collected from N = 11,325 survivors in the United States. Participants were mostly female (58%), White (89%) and non-Hispanic (88%), and age 63 on average. Breast cancer was the most common diagnosis (23%). Eight percent of participants reported being exposed to COVID-19; 1% tested positive. About 6% of participants lost their jobs, while 24% lost household income. Nearly 30% avoided attending in-person oncology appointments because of the pandemic. Poorer HRQoL was associated with demographic (younger age; female; non-Hispanic White), clinical (Medicare; stage IV disease; hematologic/digestive/respiratory system cancer), and psychosocial factors (low perceived benefits and stress management ability; more disruption to health care and daily activities/social interactions; financial hardship).<h4>Conclusions</h4>COVID-19-related stressors were associated with various psychosocial experiences in cancer survivors, and these psychosocial experiences were associated with HRQoL above and beyond demographic and clinical factors.PloS oneImpact of COVID-19-related experiences on health-related quality of life in cancer survivors in the United States.PMC10939216CA016672P30 CA016672P30 CA240139U01 CA206110CA240139McQuade JLAhmed SAntoni MHCohen LWagner RWPrinsloo STworoger SSBower JEPeoples ARGomez TIPenedo FJUlrich CMOchoa JMNatori AOtto AKfalseImpact of COVID-19-related experiences on health-related quality of life in cancer survivors in the United States.<h4>Objective</h4>Little evidence exists on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer survivors, limiting recommendations to improve health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in this population. We describe survivors' pandemic experiences and examine associations between COVID-19-related exposures, psychosocial experiences, and HRQoL.<h4>Methods</h4>Between May 2020-April 2021, survivors completed cross-sectional questionnaires capturing COVID-19-related exposures (e.g., exposure to virus, job loss); psychosocial experiences (i.e., COVID-19-related anxiety/depression, disruptions to health care and daily activities/social interactions, satisfaction with providers' response to COVID, financial hardship, perceived benefits of the pandemic, social support, and perceived stress management ability); and HRQoL.<h4>Results</h4>Data were collected from N = 11,325 survivors in the United States. Participants were mostly female (58%), White (89%) and non-Hispanic (88%), and age 63 on average. Breast cancer was the most common diagnosis (23%). Eight percent of participants reported being exposed to COVID-19; 1% tested positive. About 6% of participants lost their jobs, while 24% lost household income. Nearly 30% avoided attending in-person oncology appointments because of the pandemic. Poorer HRQoL was associated with demographic (younger age; female; non-Hispanic White), clinical (Medicare; stage IV disease; hematologic/digestive/respiratory system cancer), and psychosocial factors (low perceived benefits and stress management ability; more disruption to health care and daily activities/social interactions; financial hardship).<h4>Conclusions</h4>COVID-19-related stressors were associated with various psychosocial experiences in cancer survivors, and these psychosocial experiences were associated with HRQoL above and beyond demographic and clinical factors.2024-01-01T00:00:00Z20242026-06-27T03:23:00.197Z2026-06-27T03:18:10.296ZS-EPMC109392163848400210.1371/journal.pone.0297077