# CCSG Supplement: Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer-related Health Behaviors in Rural Cancer Patients and Cancer Survivors.

> **NIH NIH P30** · FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER · 2020 · $176,324

## Abstract

The COVID-19 global pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the lives of almost every
resident of the United States. The subsequent public health mitigation strategies, including
social distancing measures, are effectively reducing transmission of the COVID-19 virus, but
may have negative impact on behaviors important for cancer patients and cancer survivors (e.g.
adhering to cancer treatment or cancer surveillance, physical activity, healthy diet, or alcohol
consumption). Because rural cancer patients and rural cancer survivors already have significant
barriers to accessing cancer care and engaging in healthy behaviors, the impact of COVID-19
social distancing measures may be even more pronounced in these settings. The purpose of
this study is to conduct a cross-sectional survey of 800 (400 rural, 400 non-rural) cancer
patients and cancer survivors to measure non-adherence to cancer care. We will also explore
the degree to which COVID-19 social distancing measures are associated with non-adherence to
cancer care and unhealthy cancer-related health behaviors for rural and non-rural participants.
Survey items will be drawn from core items developed by a collaboration with more than 15
other NCI-funded Cancer Centers (University of Alabama Coordinating Center) studying the
impact of COVID-19 on health behaviors in various settings and populations. Additional items
to identify cancer patients and survivors will be drawn from the literature or developed based
on the Health Belief Model, informing overall survey development. We will compare
proportions of cancer patients who report non-adherence to cancer care (either missed or
delayed cancer treatment or surveillance) in rural and non-rural settings using the four category
Rural Urban Community Access (RUCA) classification based on zip code. Our unique reach
across Washington State, which includes significant Hispanic/Latino populations in rural
communities, and focus exclusively on cancer patients and cancer survivors, is an essential
contribution to this larger effort. The results of this study will be critical in helping understand
the potentially negative health impact of COVID-19 for rural cancer patients (a particularly
vulnerable group) and provide guidance to public health professionals and policy makers to
develop strategies to reduce the negative health impact.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10159682
- **Project number:** 3P30CA015704-45S3
- **Recipient organization:** FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Thomas James Lynch
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $176,324
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-08-31 → 2020-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10159682

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10159682, CCSG Supplement: Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer-related Health Behaviors in Rural Cancer Patients and Cancer Survivors. (3P30CA015704-45S3). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10159682. Licensed CC0.

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