Loneliness in Cancer Patients with Minor Children Before Versus During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: It is unclear whether loneliness among cancer patients with minor children increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of severe loneliness among cancer patients with minor children during the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison with the pre-pandemic sample. Design: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 2022 to January 2023. Setting/Subjects: Adult cancer patients whose youngest child was under 18 years of age and who were members of an online peer-support group in Japan were eligible. Measurements: Loneliness was measured using the University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS). Associations between variables and severe loneliness (UCLA-LS score ≥50), as well as the prevalence of severe loneliness, were compared with those in a study conducted in 2019 using multivariable logistic regression. Results: A total of 233 patients of all types were included (83.3% female; mean age [standard deviation], 45.4 [5.8] years). The most common primary cancer type was breast (44.6%). The prevalence of severe loneliness was 37.3%. Factors associated with severe loneliness were Lubben Social Network Scale score (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71–0.85; p < 0.001) and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale score (aOR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.11–1.32; p < 0.001). The prevalence of severe loneliness was not significantly different from the prevalence in the pre-pandemic sample (aOR, 1.20; 95% CI, 0.73–1.96; p = 0.474). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic did not affect the prevalence of severe loneliness among cancer patients with minor children. Understanding their characteristics may help to identify protective factors against increased loneliness in future pandemics.