Background:Treatments for oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) often result in significant aesthetic and functional issues, impacting patients’ quality of life (QoL). The COVID-19 pandemic’s mask mandates may have provided psychosocial benefits by concealing facial disfigurements, potentially reducing stigma. This study aimed to assess the impact of mask-wearing on the QoL of patients surgically treated for OSCC.Methods:This single-center, cross-sectional study, conducted from June 2022 to December 2023, included patients who had completed their treatment and returned home before or during the mask-wearing mandate. They answered a questionnaire using a four-point Likert scale to evaluate the mask-wearing’s impact on QoL and the influence on it of physical appearance, tumor localization, radiotherapy, and treatment end date.Results:The questionnaire analysis found a high internal consistency among the questions (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.931). Considering 41 patients (median age 69, 63% male), wearing a mask significantly improved QoL, with a mean score of 1.66 compared to a score of 2.00 for patients not wearing it (p< 0.001). This improvement was particularly notable for appearance concerns, fear of perception by family or others, and sociability apprehension. The QoL, with or without mask use, was not significantly modified when considering physical appearance, tumor localization, radiotherapy, or end date of the treatment, as demonstrated by two-way ANOVA tests and multiple linear regression.Conclusions:Mask-wearing positively impacted QoL in OSCC patients, providing psychological relief from disfigurement and social stigma. Masks offer a simple, accessible solution to enhance QoL while awaiting a definitive prosthetic treatment, suggesting that their continued use could be beneficial in supportive care strategies.
背景：口腔鳞状细胞癌（OSCC）的治疗常导致显著的美观与功能问题，影响患者的生活质量（QoL）。新冠疫情期间的口罩强制佩戴政策可能通过遮盖面部缺陷带来社会心理益处，潜在地减轻了病耻感。本研究旨在评估佩戴口罩对接受手术治疗的OSCC患者生活质量的影响。 方法：这项单中心横断面研究于2022年6月至2023年12月期间开展，纳入了在口罩强制令实施前或实施期间已完成治疗并返家的患者。患者通过四点李克特量表问卷评估佩戴口罩对生活质量的影响，并分析外貌、肿瘤位置、放疗及治疗结束时间等因素对生活质量的影响。 结果：问卷分析显示问题间具有高度内部一致性（克隆巴赫系数=0.931）。在41名患者（中位年龄69岁，63%为男性）中，佩戴口罩显著改善了生活质量，平均得分为1.66，而未佩戴口罩者得分为2.00（p<0.001）。这种改善在外貌担忧、对亲友或他人评价的恐惧以及社交焦虑方面尤为显著。双向方差分析和多元线性回归表明，无论是否佩戴口罩，患者的生活质量均未因外貌、肿瘤位置、放疗或治疗结束时间等因素发生显著改变。 结论：佩戴口罩对OSCC患者的生活质量产生积极影响，通过缓解毁容带来的心理压力和社会歧视提供了心理慰藉。在等待确定性修复治疗期间，口罩作为一种简单易行的解决方案可有效提升生活质量，这表明在支持性护理策略中持续使用口罩可能具有重要价值。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家