Psychosocial function of Dutch children with cancer and their caregivers
during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract
We compared psychosocial functioning of children with cancer and their
caregivers in several phases of the COVID-19 pandemic to before
COVID-19. One or more questionnaires on health-related quality of life
(HRQoL) or fatigue of children or distress of their caregivers was
available from 1644 families. In children with cancer, HRQoL was stable
throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Fatigue was slightly lower and sleep
somewhat better during the pandemic than before. Caregiver distress was
lower in the first pandemic phase, but increased to pre-COVID-19 levels
in later phases, indicating that the length and consequences of the
pandemic may be weighing on them.