Life and Love Stories During Corona Times: A General Public and Cancer Patient’s Experience

Abstract

Introduction: The past COVID pandemic clearly showed us how difficult relationships (either as oncology patients, or as a healthy human being/a couple) can be. Being socially isolated or precisely the opposite, e.g., living tightly together can become difficult during extreme situations. This paper focuses on the quality of relationships during the COVID pandemic and beyond; differences between the Spanish and Dutch population are compared. Methods: With short, on-line questionnaires focusing on present as well as past COVID-experiences among the Dutch (n=70) and Spanish (n=98) general public, we tried to get a grip on the emotional impact of a serious crisis, such as the COVID pandemic. Results: Our Spanish sample almost all reported that well-being changed during the pandemic (95%). Only a few (9%) of our Spanish respondents reported to experience problems of loneliness during the COVID-pandemic; this percentage was much higher among the Dutch sample (39% of all respondents). Emotional support was generally reported as rather high among Spanish respondents ranging from 95% or higher to the importance they attached of having a special person being around as well as family support. The added value Dutch respondents attached towards family support was a little lower (70% and 65% respectively). The frequency of respondents not being anxious was higher among the Dutch sample (43% versus 15% in the Spanish sample). Spanish respondents however at the same time experienced (despite their reported anxiety) a more meaningful life (87% of people in the spanish versus 13% of people in the Dutch sample). Discussion: Although high frequencies of emotional support were reported among Dutch and Spanish respondents, relationships in itself either seemed to have become more difficult or stronger. It further seemed that respondents’ mood did not have a tremendous impact on the perceived quality of their relationships. Regardless in how difficult a situation can be, your own mindset as well as cultural differences to a great extent seems to determine perceived well-being.