JOCS
Journal of Comprehensive Surgery

The aim of the Comprehensive Surgery is to publish original research articles of the highest scientific and clinical value at the international level in all surgical fields.

eISSN: 2980-0862
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Original Article
Evaluation of patients' anxiety on colorectal cancer screening in global health burden conditions such as COVID-19
Abstract
Aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains to be the third most common cancer and could be detected earlier with screening programmes. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted routine health care globally including CRC screening. In this study we aimed to assess and compare the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores in patients who were planned to undergo screening before and during COVID-19.
Methods: In this cross sectional study we compared data of patients who were planned to undergo CRC screening during COVID-19 period (February 1 to February 28,2021) with those of the same period of 2019 (pre-COVID-19). Groups were compared in terms of age, gender, education level, incidence of unwillingness and cancelling the colonoscopy for CRC and HADS scores.
Results: The mean (±SD) age of the whole cohort was 51.1 (±12.45) years. Sixteen (28%) of the patients were unwilling to undergo screening and 3 (5.2%) of them cancelled the colonoscopy in COVID-19 period group, however none of the patients had an anxiety to undergo screening and cancelled colonoscopy in pre-COVID-19 group. The subscales of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HADS-A and HADS-D scores were significantly higher in COVID-19 period group.
Conclusion: Due to the fear of patients’ to be exposed to COVID-19, the rate of CRC screening has been decreased worldwide. Especially in the global health burden circumstances like COVID-19, less invasive, easily applicable and screening tests with high sensitivity and specifity could be the preferred option in order to improve patients’ compliance.

Keywords : Colorectal cancer, colonoscopy, screening, COVID-19, oncology

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Article available in :
Volume 3, Issue 4, 2025
Page : 64-67
https://doi.org/10.51271/JOCS-0062
Article Information
Received : 21 Şub 2025
Accepted : 29 Haz 2025
Published : 29 Kas 2025
Corresponding Author :

Erdinç Çetinkaya: Department of General Surgery, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkiye

[email protected]
Citation : Çetinkaya E, Akın T, Köse F, Çakıcı M, Kasım İ, Er S. Evaluation of patients’ anxiety on colorectal cancer screening in global health burde conditions such as COVID-19. J Compr Surg. 2025;3(4):64-67.

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