Going virtual: increased uptake of gynecologic cancer support services post-COVID-19

Objectives: The impact of a gynecologic cancer diagnosis on a patient's emotional health can be profound. Psychosocial support is an important component of comprehensive care. Our aim was to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the gynecologic cancer support program at a large urban medical center. Methods: Support group data, including type (in-person vs. virtual), topic (education, support, or creative), and attendance, were gathered. Data were divided into ‘pre-COVID’ (September 2019-March 2020) and ‘post-COVID’ (March 2020-October 2020). Attendance rates were analyzed. A one-tailed t-test was used to determine if the difference in attendance rates between physician and non-physician led educational lectures was significant. Results: A total of 711 women who are currently receiving or have completed treatment were included in Woman to Woman support network communications. Invitations were sent weekly via email for each support group. An individual's attendance was recorded for each distinct group attended. Prior to COVID, support services consisted of a general support group, a young women's support group, and a Latina educational group. A total of 9,777 invitations were sent for pre-COVID content, and total recorded attendance was 240: 185 at support groups, and 55 at the Latina educational group. Transition to virtual meetings occurred in March 2020, at which time 6 new groups were added: living with recurrent cancer support group, book club, art therapy, poetry, Sharsharet Jewish breast cancer educational collaboration, and a recurring educational group. Communications greatly increased, with a total of 32,411 invitations sent out for post-COVID content. Instructions on how to use Zoom for virtual sessions were included with calendar invites. Total recorded attendance was 738, of which 321 attended support groups, 73 attended creative groups, and 344 attended educational groups. Participation in educational sessions ranged from 14-51 attendees, with a median of 20.5 participants. Topics covered ranged from sex after gynecologic cancer and hypnosis for anxiety, to more data-driven topics such as clinical trial participation, radiation oncology, and PARP inhibitors. The latter 3 sessions were led by physicians intimately involved in patient care and yielded higher participation rates when compared with non-physician led sessions. The higher rates in attendance for physician-led sessions was statistically significant (t(234)=2.61, p=0.015). The most attended educational session covered the importance of clinical trial participation. Conclusions: COVID-19 challenged the gynecologic oncology community in many ways, including isolating patients from support networks. The transition of support groups to virtual forums has more than doubled attendance, reaching a broader group of women with a variety of needs, allowing for diversification of topics, and increasing physician involvement in patient support systems. Based on demonstrated increased attendance, women with gynecologic cancers are accepting of a virtual platform to deliver support services. A formalized feedback system is being created to further validate our findings. Download : Download high-res image (88KB) Download : Download full-size image