A Study of Mental Health Care in People With Cancer

Launched by MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER · Sep 8, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how mental health services can help older adults with cancer who are feeling depressed. Specifically, it looks at two approaches to connect these patients with mental health support: the usual method and a new method called Open Door for Cancer (OD-C). The trial aims to see if the OD-C approach is easy to use and beneficial for both cancer patients and the healthcare providers who treat them.

To participate in this study, patients must be 65 years or older, diagnosed with breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer, and currently undergoing cancer treatment or have finished treatment in the last six months. They also need to have a certain level of depression, as indicated by a questionnaire. Participants can expect to engage with mental health services and share their experiences, which will help researchers understand how to improve support for older cancer patients. It's important to note that patients who are severely confused or receiving hospice care, as well as those already in mental health treatment, will not be eligible for this trial.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Patients
• • Per medical record and/or self-report, diagnosed with breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer at age 65 years or older
• • Per medical record and/or self-report, undergoing active cancer treatment (e.g., radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery) or within six months of completing treatment
• • Score of ≥5 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
• * Per self-report, fluent in English\*\* \*\* Language verification: Prior to enrollment, patients will be asked the following two questions by a Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) to verify English fluency necessary for participation in the study:
• • 1. How well do you speak English? (must respond "very well" or "well" when given the choices of Very well, Well, Not well, Not at all, Don't know, or Refused)
• • 2. What is your preferred language for healthcare? (must respond English)
• • Providers
• • Per self-report, works in oncology, nursing, social work, psychology, or psychiatry
• • Per self-report, currently works in oncology at least 50% of the time
• • Per self-report, provided cancer care for at least three years at time of consent
• • Per self-report, fluent in English
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patients
• • Severely cognitively impaired as demonstrated by Blessed Orientation Memory Concentration scores of ≥ 11
• • Per research staff judgment and/or self-report, too ill or weak to complete study procedures
• • Per medical record and/or self-report, receiving hospice care at the time of enrollment
• • Per medical record and/or self-report, currently enrolled in mental health treatment
• • Providers
• • N/A