Development and Initial Evaluation of a Multifaceted Intervention to Improve Mental Health and Quality of Life Among Prostate Cancer Survivors

Assessment of Current Mental Health Status in a Population-Based Sample of Canadian Men With and Without a History of Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: An Analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)

“…Future studies should consider expanding their control group to other cancer sites. Taken together, these results corroborate the existing literature that mental health disorders are particularly prevalent among PCa survivors and strengthen the recommendation of including mental health assessments in diagnosis to treatment and survivorship care plans for this population ( 5 , 49 , 55 ).…”

“…In conclusion, data from a nationally representative sample of men indicate that those with a lifetime history of PCa diagnosis have worse mental health outcomes than those with no history of PCa diagnosis, when literature-derived relevant contributing factors to poor mental health outcomes in the population are held constant. These results are important because, taken together with other recent reports in the literature, they point out to a need that is currently unacknowledged and unaddressed in PCa survivorship care plans throughout Canada or elsewhere in the world ( 5 – 7 , 49 , 55 ). Leaving mental health needs unattended leads to poor quality of life among PCa survivors, poor oncological outcomes, and could potentially burden health care systems ( 6 – 11 ).…”

“…They further emphasize the importance of including validated questionnaires in PCa survivorship plans to assess mental health disorders among PCa during their survivorship journey. The implementation of innovative and integrative patient education and empowerment plans through holistic interventions that aim to ease the psychosocial and physical needs (e.g., loss of sexual function, urinary leakage, feeling disconnected from their intimate partner and close family and friends, lack of sleep, and fatigue) of these survivors is warranted ( 48 , 49 ). These programs share the common goal of fostering networks of healthcare professionals, researchers, and patient representatives to improve the quality of life of survivors of PCa and intervene early after the diagnosis when most of these survivorship needs emerge ( 49 ).…”

Current Mental Distress Among Men With a History of Radical Prostatectomy and Related Adverse Correlates

“…Currently, there is a paucity of prospective data evaluating potential factors that contribute to the presence of increased mental distress among PCa patients, especially those treated with RP (Fervaha et al, 2019). Being able to identify contributing factors to the mental distress of this population is a priority and can help tailor care and patient education and empowerment programs in urology to assist those most in need during the cancer survivorship journey (Ilie et al, 2019). Regular mental distress screening during survivorship and treatment for urinary incontinence after RP for localized PCa may be warranted.…”

Anxiety and depression symptoms in adult males in Atlantic Canada with or without a lifetime history of prostate cancer

“…Unlike other segments of the population, survivors of PCa are faced with several possible side effects of treatment that go to the heart of their identity as men, including erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, bowel issues, or feeling disconnected in their relationship due to lack of sexual function . Therefore, for mental health interventions to be successful, future interventions may need to focus on identifying those survivorship needs that lead to mental health issues and address them through patient education and/or empowerment programs offered early in the survivorship journey in order to successfully control and prevent the development of mental health issues . Clinicians know assessing survivors' direct oncological outcomes (eg, urinary, bowel and sexual function) is critical to addressing physical health, but may not be aware that mental health issues and survivorship needs are also critical for identifying men at risk of poor oncological and quality of life outcomes …”