Experiences of women with ovarian cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: Examining intolerance of uncertainty and fear of COVID-19 in relation to psychological distress

Abstract

Purpose Our research aimed to examine the role of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) in psychological distress (PD) among women with ovarian cancer. Fear of COVID-19 (FCOV) was examined as a mediator, and participant health status and the reopening status of their geographic region were examined as moderators. Design A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed. Participants Participants (n = 100) were recruited through various online sources and completed the study via Qualtrics. Methods Moderated mediation models and post-hoc linear regression analyses were used to determine the role of predictor variables in PD. Results No significant moderators or mediators were found. Despite a strong correlation between FCOV and IU, both variables explained unique variance in the anxiety and stress models, while FCOV was not significant in the depressive symptoms model. Implications for Providers Both IU and FCOV should be considered in helping women with ovarian cancer manage their PD during the COVID-19 pandemic.