Poster Presentation 2025 Joint Meeting of the COSA ASM and IPOS Congress

From Diagnosis to Survivorship: A Scoping Review of Mental Health Support for Cancer Patients in Primary Care (126085)

Michael Tran 1 , Carolyn Ee 2 , Joel Rhee 1 , Christina Signorelli 1 , Shabnam Mohamad Shafiq 3 , Amlan Chowdhury 3 , Ji Woo Kim 4
  1. University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia
  2. Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  3. Medical Student, Notre Dame University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  4. Medical Student, University of Auckland, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand

Objectives/Purpose

This scoping review aims to explore the lived experiences of people with cancer in relation to their mental health and examine how these concerns are addressed in primary care. The review will identify key psychological challenges across the cancer care continuum, assess the role of general practitioners (GPs) in mental health support, and highlight gaps in care coordination and service provision.

Sample and Setting

Studies involving adult cancer survivors and their interactions with primary care providers, particularly GPs and family medicine practitioners, will be included. The setting is limited to the primary care context. This will be inclusive of international literature for broader insights.

Procedures

Following Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a systematic search will be conducted in Medline, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Studies will be selected based on relevance to cancer, mental health, and primary care. Both qualitative and mixed-methods studies will be included. Editorials and commentaries are included to capture expert perspectives. Data will be charted and thematically analysed to identify recurring patterns, barriers, facilitators, and models of care.

Results

Preliminary findings suggest a high prevalence of unmet mental health needs among cancer patients, with GPs often under-resourced or under-confident in addressing these needs[1]. Barriers include limited access to psychological services, lack of integrated care pathways, and insufficient training. Facilitators include strong GP-patient relationships and holistic care approaches[2]. The review will map these findings to inform future qualitative research and intervention development.

Conclusion and Clinical Implications

This review will provide a foundational understanding of how mental health is experienced by people with cancer and how it is managed in primary care. Findings will inform the co-design of a support tool and referral pathway for GPs, aiming to enhance mental health care delivery and improve outcomes.

  1. 1. Tran, M., et al., General practice, mental health and the care of people with cancer. Australian Journal of General Practice, 2025. Accepted for Publication. 2. Gulliver, A., A.R. Morse, and M. Banfield, Cancer Survivors' Experiences of Navigating the Australian Health Care System for Physical and Mental Health Care Needs. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2023. 20(5).