Professionals' perspectives on caring for cancer patients with pre-existing severe mental disorders

Cancer trajectories among patients with pre-existing severe mental disorders (SMD) are challenging and these pateints' prognosis is poor. This study aimed at exploring barriers in cancer trajectories among patients with pre-existing SMD as experienced by Danish healthcare professionals.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals who were sampled by purposive sampling. Data were analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis.

The participants wanted to optimise treatment, but several barriers were reported, including lack of knowledge of supportive social systems. Oncological participants experienced a lack of knowledge of psychiatric disorders and a reluctance to deal with patients with SMD among some colleagues. Furthermore, participants expressed a lack of time and continuity.

Concerns about how to create optimal cancer care trajectories for people with pre-existing SMD exist among healthcare professionals. Even so, stigmatisation, lack of knowledge and system barriers such as a lack of time and continuity must be addressed to optimise care for this population.

This study was funded by The Danish Cancer Society (R283-A16499).

This study is registered in the internal register of research projects of the Central Denmark Region (R. no. 1-16-02-227-21).