Jansen F, Lissenberg-Witte BI, Hardillo JA, Takes RP, de Bree R, Lamers F, Langendijk JA, Leemans CR, Verdonck-de Leeuw IM. Mental healthcare utilization among head and neck cancer patients: A longitudinal cohort study.
Psychooncology 2024;
33:e6251. [PMID:
37955598 DOI:
10.1002/pon.6251]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To investigate utilization of mental healthcare among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients from diagnosis to 2 years after treatment, in relation to psychological symptoms, mental disorders, need for mental healthcare, and sociodemographic, clinical and personal factors.
METHODS
Netherlands Quality of life and Biomedical Cohort study data as measured before treatment, at 3 and 6 months, and at 1 and 2 years after treatment was used (n = 610). Data on mental healthcare utilization (iMCQ), psychological symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Cancer Worry Scale), mental disorders (CIDI interview), need for mental healthcare (Supportive Care Needs Survey Short-Form 34, either as continuous outcome indicating the level of need or dichotomized into unmet need (yes/no)) and several sociodemographic, clinical and personal factors were collected. Factors associated with mental healthcare utilization were investigated using generalized estimating equations (p < 0.05).
RESULTS
Of all HNC patients, 5%-9% used mental healthcare per timepoint. This was 4%-14% in patients with mild-severe psychological symptoms, 4%-17% in patients with severe psychological symptoms, 15%-35% in patients with a mental disorder and 5%-16% in patients with an unmet need for mental healthcare. Among all patients, higher symptoms of anxiety, a higher need for mental healthcare, lower age, higher disease stage, lower self-efficacy and higher social support seeking were significantly associated with mental healthcare utilization.
CONCLUSION
Mental health care utilization among HNC patients is limited, and is related to psychological symptoms, need for mental healthcare, and sociodemographic, clinical and personal factors.
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