Publication date: Sep 10, 2025
For cancer survivors, self-efficacy is needed to manage the disease and the effects of treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted cancer-related healthcare, which may have impacted self-management self-efficacy. We investigated self-efficacy reported by cancer survivors during COVID-19, including associations with healthcare disruptions, distress, and general health. Between 2020 and 2021, 1902 individuals aged 18-80 years with a recent cancer diagnosis completed a survey regarding the effects of COVID-19 on healthcare, self-efficacy for managing cancer and social interactions, cancer-related distress, and perceived general health. Linear and logistic models estimated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between self-efficacy scores, healthcare disruptions, significant distress, and general health. Mean self-efficacy for managing cancer was 7. 58 out of 10. Greater self-efficacy was associated with lower odds for distress (OR 0. 18 [95% CI 0. 13-0. 26], quartile 4 vs. 1) and for worse general health (0. 05 [0. 03-0. 09]). Participants with disruptions to cancer-related healthcare had lower self-efficacy for managing cancer compared to those without (6. 62 vs. 7. 09, respectively, P
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Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | cancer |
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| disease | MESH | general health |
| disease | MESH | Long Covid |