Perceived Risk of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Breast Cancer Survivors

Significance: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has altered the physical, mental, and emotional health of people around the world. Although it is known that there are long-term health effects of COVID-19, there is limited research available on the perception of COVID-19 among breast cancer survivors. Methods: As part of a larger parent study, we examined 18 breast cancer survivors perception of COVID-19 risk factors using data from a quantitative survey. The COVID-19 Risk Perception Survey covers 11 statements concerning COVID-19-related behaviors and beliefs that are scored from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Results: The data indicated that participants had contrasting opinions regarding their risk of contracting COVID-19, and the effects a COVID-19 infection may have on them due to comorbidities. Comorbidities may include but are not limited to, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes mellitus. While the majority of participants (n = 55.6%) believe their risk of contracting COVID-19 is low, many participants (n = 66.7%) have comorbid conditions that place them at a significant risk for COVID-19 infection or complications. Implications: These findings suggest that breast cancer survivors have concerns about contracting COVID-19 infections, and that despite having comorbid conditions, they may not know the exact nature of infection risk, or how to ameliorate that risk. At present, there is a need for further research to uncover the risks for COVID-19 infection among breast cancer survivors as well as appropriate health-related information in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic