Abstract
Background: Patients with severe and chronic mental health illnesses have a diminished capacity to receive optimal cancer care, as the psychiatric tendencies and physical manifestations linked to their disease are often detrimental to their autonomy, capacity for self-care and medical compliance.1 While we observe a growing global awareness around mental health issues, stigma and fear of discrimination within the healthcare system remains a reality for patients with complex mental health needs (CMHN) trying to access cancer care, particularly those with socially-isolating symptoms.2 The current education and levels of understanding within allied health professionals when concerned with CMHN is under-reported in the literature, yet has been hypothesised as a contributing factor to the compromised care that is seen for these patients.3
Objectives: To establish a quantifiable baseline for the experiences and knowledge levels within the radiation therapist cohort at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre when dealing with patients with CMHN.
Methods: All radiation therapists (N > 220) were invited to undertake a non-identifiable mixed-methods survey via Qualtrics.
Results: 97% of surveyed radiation therapists indicated that they have encountered a patient with CMHN, a majority responding with multiple recalled experiences. Of this group, over half indicated that they have not engaged in any specific mental health training and on average this group were the least confident delivering care and connecting patients with CMHN to available supports.
Conclusion: There exists scope to better address the needs of patients with CMHN by improving radiation therapist education and training surrounding CMHN.
Objectives: To establish a quantifiable baseline for the experiences and knowledge levels within the radiation therapist cohort at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre when dealing with patients with CMHN.
Methods: All radiation therapists (N > 220) were invited to undertake a non-identifiable mixed-methods survey via Qualtrics.
Results: 97% of surveyed radiation therapists indicated that they have encountered a patient with CMHN, a majority responding with multiple recalled experiences. Of this group, over half indicated that they have not engaged in any specific mental health training and on average this group were the least confident delivering care and connecting patients with CMHN to available supports.
Conclusion: There exists scope to better address the needs of patients with CMHN by improving radiation therapist education and training surrounding CMHN.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 29 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences |
| Volume | 69 |
| Issue number | S1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 2022 |
| Event | Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT 2022): Unite ‐ the land, the sea, the people - Australia, Cairns, Australia Duration: 19 May 2022 → 22 May 2022 Conference number: 16th https://conference.asmirt.org/2022/ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/20513909/2022/69/S1 (Published abstracts) |
