Management of early breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: Single institution experience

This study assessed symptoms of anxiety, depression and fear of COVID-19 in 430 members of the general community and healthcare workers (HCWs) attending for COVID testing in a public hospital clinic (June–September 2020). Participants completed two questionnaires: Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale). HCWs made up 35.1% of the sample. This study demonstrated high levels of anxiety and fear of COVID-19 in laypersons attending ambulatory COVID-19 testing, despite a very low likelihood of a subsequent positive result at the time. There is a strong correlation between fear and anxiety with female gender, people with a lower level of education and individuals attending for repeat testing. The overall level of fear in various subgroups was similar to the alarmingly high results found in Europe in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. HCWs had a lower level of anxiety and fear than members of the general community, and depression scores were comparable with the wider population across both groups. This provides some reassurance that, in an Australian setting with low rates of COVID-19, health professionals are experiencing relatively low levels of anxiety and depression symptoms.