Co-designing an intervention to address Mental Health Literacy and accessibility for cancer services for patients from underserved groups

Project Description

This project aims to enhance mental health literacy and cultural competence in cancer care, focusing on reducing inequalities for underserved groups, including ethnically diverse and socio-economically disadvantaged patients. It responds to the critical gap in tailored NHS mental health services, evidenced by the increased psychiatric disorder risk in cancer patients and disparities in psychological treatments, especially among underserved groups. Some of these disparities are rooted in barriers to mental health screening and diagnosis, preference for healthcare professionals (HCPs) with cultural sensitivities, and variances in levels of mental health literacy, affecting patients’ ability to seek and utilise support effectively. There is a significant lack in mental health literacy research, specifically in adults, the elderly, and people with specific conditions, such as people with mental health disorders, people with a cancer diagnosis, terminal illness, and informal caregivers.

Leveraging underserved patients’ lived experiences and stakeholder engagement, this project aligns with NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 strategy to address health disparities in cancer care and mental health.

This programme of research aims to:

• Conduct a systematic review.
• Explore facilitators of and barriers to culturally competent and patient-centred mental health care.
• Co-design a place-based culturally competent mental health literacy intervention for cancer care.
• Explore and describe how healthcare professionals, peer supporters and community services can help to implement the intervention to improve the mental health literacy of underserved groups with a cancer diagnosis and address health inequalities.