Mental health care use and related factors in adolescents and young adults with cancer

Abstract

Purpose The actual state of mental health care use and related factors in adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer is not well understood in Japan. This study aimed to (1) examine the actual state of mental health care use among AYA patients with cancer and (2) describe socio-demographic and related factors associated with mental health care use. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of AYA patients with cancer aged 15–39 who first visited the National Cancer Center Hospital in Japan (NCCH) between January 2018 and December 2020. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between social background characteristics and mental health care use. The association between the patient's course of cancer treatment and mental health care use was analyzed to help identify which patients might benefit from early mental health intervention. Results Among 1,556 patients, 945 AYA patients with cancer were registered. The median age at the time of the study was 33 years (range, 15–39 years). The prevalence of mental health care use was 18.0% (170/945). Age 15–19 years, female gender, urogenital cancer, gynecological cancer, bone or soft tissue cancer, head and neck cancer, and stage II–IV disease were associated with mental health care use. Regarding treatment, palliative treatment, chemotherapy, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were associated with mental health care use. Conclusion Factors associated with mental health care use were identified. Our findings potentially contribute to psychological support interventions for AYA patients with cancer.

Preliminary Effectiveness of an In-Hospital Peer Support Program, Adolescent and Young Adult Hiroba, on Anxiety in Adolescent and Young Adult Patients with Cancer

“…However, age 15–19 years was reported to be associated with mental health care use and adolescent patients have psychological needs. 31 There is a need to identify factors that are barriers to adolescent participation and to find effective recruitment methods. In this study, approximately half of the participants were male.…”

Efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy on psychological rehabilitation in cancer patients treated with proton and heavy ion therapy:a non-randomized controlled trial

“…However, cancer patients treated with particle therapy still face the problems of high treatment cost, uncertainty of treatment effect, adverse reaction, high recurrence rate, and di culty of treatment after recurrence in the process of particle therapy [4,5]. There are many psychological disturbances in them, such as despair, pain, fear, anxiety, and a series of negative emotions [6][7][8]. The negative psychological state of cancer patients not only increases the physical burden of patients and reduces their treatment compliance, but also leads to lower quality of life, even affects their prognosis, and increases the rate of suicide [9][10][11].…”