Evaluation of psychological status of 82 patients with rectal cancer after operation in Wuhan epidemic area of COVID‑19 and the value of WeChat follow‑up by doctors

Objective: To investigate the postoperative psychological status of rectal cancer patients during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) epidemic in Wuhan, and to evaluate the outcomes of WeChat follow‑up. Methods: A total of 41 patients with rectal cancer after operation were included into observation group and were followed up by doctors through WeChat, and another 41 postoperative cases without WeChat follow⁃up were set as control group. The Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL‑90), Self‑Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self‑Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were adopted to evaluate all the patients' postoperative psychological status before discharge from hospital and two months later. Results: After two months, the scores of SCL‑90, SAS, and SDS, respectively,of all patients showed significantly changes (t=1.487, 1.203, and 1.578, respectively, all P 0.05), but the total scores of PSQI in observation group showed a significant decrease after two months' WeChat follow⁃up and were lower than in control group (t=8.369, P<0.05). Conclusion: During the outbreaking of COVID⁃19 epidemic in Wuhan, the scores of SCL‑90, SAS, and SDS in the post⁃operative patients were all decreased, but the total scores of PSQI in WeChat follow‑up group was significantly lower than that in the control group. Doctors' active WeChat follow‑up on patients can alleviate their fear, anxiety, depression, and especially, and improve their sleep quality. © 2021, Editorial Board of Medical Journal of Wuhan University. All right reserved.