Psychological Care of Oncology Patients With Post-traumatic Stress in the Context of a COVID-19

Psychological Care of Oncology Patients With Post-traumatic Stress in the Context of a COVID-19

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns of the risk of infection may lead to fear, anxiety or psychological disorders that may become generalised and long-lasting, corresponding to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD generally occurs in circumstances such as terrorist attacks, hostage-taking, bombings, aggression, accidents... The current health crisis also represents an increased risk of PTSD.

After the first moments of stress, the illness becomes more diffuse: personality change (introverted/extraverted), sleep disorders, heart problems, hypervigilance reaction, agoraphobia, symptoms of reminiscence, irritability, decreased concentration, memory loss... In some people, PTSD can lead to more disabling problems such as (crowd) avoidance.

In order to help patients with PTSD, clinical psychology offers therapeutic approaches which, starting from a debriefing with the patient, provide supportive therapy which (i) reassures by providing information on the symptomatology, in order to play down the present state of mind, (ii) allows for the expression of what was experienced during the event, (iii) initiates a process of elaboration of the trauma through transference.

A previous study conducted at the François Baclesse Center during the first COVID-19 lockdown (April to June 2020), which included 735 patients, assessed the impact of the pandemic on cancer patients treated in day hospitals. That study found that 21% of patients met criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 23% reported insomnia. Based on these findings, the present study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an adapted psychological intervention for patients with pandemic-related PTSD.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient ≥ 18 years old
• Patient treated or followed up for a solid tumour at the François Baclesse Centre
• Patient with a score suggesting moderate or high posttraumatic stress symptoms (IES-R score ≥ 24) related to the COVID-19 epidemic
• The patient's state of health is compatible with the programme: psychological care for 6 months.
• Information note signed by the patient
• Any associated geographical, social or psychopathological conditions that might compromise the patient's ability to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient with no symptoms suggestive of moderate or high post-traumatic stress (IES-R score <24)
• Patient deprived of liberty or under guardianship
• Patient already receiving psychological care
• Patient whose diagnosis of the disease was made within one month prior to the proposal for participation