Prevalence of Mental Health Treatment Utilization in Cancer Survivors Diagnosed with Depression and/or Anxiety

Purpose: Depression and anxiety are common mental health disorders in cancer survivors (CS) and could lead to increased morbidity and mortality if left untreated. Previous studies reported suboptimal antidepressant and anxiolytic pharmacotherapy use in CS compared to the general population (GP). To better understand the utilization of mental health services, this study evaluated the prevalence of pharmacotherapy and/or psychotherapy utilization for depression and/or anxiety in CS and the GP. Methods: A sample of 5,977 adults who participated in the National Health Interview Survey from 2012-2018 were included. All participants were diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression, defined by self-reported diagnosis and/or a score of ?13 on the Kessler 6 questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was performed to identify the prevalence of treatment utilization between CS and the GP. Results: The prevalence of receiving treatment for depression and/or anxiety was 61.9% and 60.2%, and between 2012 and 2018, the prevalence increased by 18.6% and 21.3% in the general and cancer populations respectively. Higher utilization of psychotherapy was found for anxiety and/or depression in the GP (50.3%) compared to CS (45.8%) whereas, pharmacotherapy use between the groups was similar (GP 29.4% and CS 31.9%). Conclusion: The inclusion of psychotherapy as a treatment option for depression and/or anxiety mitigate the disparities previously reported of lower treatment utilization in CS. Unfortunately, over one-third of participants received no form of mental health treatment. Clinicians need to recognize depression and/or anxiety and provide education and referrals to the GP and CS for mental health treatment options.