COVID-19-related social distancing may impact health behaviors and cancer outcomes during the pandemic and beyond (JAMA Oncol. 2020. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.6786).
In the absence of a vaccine, social distancing and lockdowns remain the most effective tools against the pandemic. A result of limited interaction with those outside the household is a shift in patterns of social interaction, which can have both positive and negative consequences on cancer outcomes.
“Moreover, interactions outside the household may be hindered by reliance on digital platforms, anxiety about sharing physical space with those outside the household, and use of face masks (which can obscure facial expressions that otherwise facilitate connection and closeness),” wrote Rebecca Ferrer, PhD, Basic Biobehavioral and Psychological Sciences Branch, National Cancer Institute (Bethesda, MD) and colleagues.
A positive effect of social distancing on cancer outcomes is a decrease in social alcohol consumption, obesogenic diets, and smoking. Closures of restaurants and bars limits access to these cancer-related health behaviors.
A disadvantage of social distancing includes the impact on the dynamics of patients’ relationships with their health care professionals and informal caregivers. Personal connections are more difficult with mask wearing and distancing policies limit contact with the health care provider and patient. Telemedicine also results in less personalized connections.
“Clinicians should carefully consider how health communication, prevention, and treatment will be affected by less access to health care and racial/ethnic inequalities in care and balance these considerations with infection risk when making screening recommendations and creating care plans,” concluded Dr Ferrer and colleagues.—Lisa Kuhns
