Breast cancer and mental illness

Improving the breast cancer journey for women with experience of mental illness

Researchers at the University of Otago, Wellington are seeking participants for a study to investigate the breast cancer care journey for women with mental illness in order to improve their care.

Breast cancer is a common cause of death for New Zealand women. There is growing evidence that women with experience of mental illness have worse outcomes after breast cancer diagnosis than women

without such experience, say researchers Dr Debbie Peterson and Dr Ruth Cunningham.

The researchers are looking for women in the Wellington/Wairarapa region who have experienced both mental illness and breast cancer, and who first used mental health services before being diagnosed with breast cancer.

“We want to discover why there is a difference in the outcomes for these two groups — those who have experience of mental illness and those who don’t,” says Dr Cunningham, from the University’s Department of Public Health.

So far no research has explored the cancer care journey from the perspective of women with experience of mental illness.

“As far as we are aware, no similar research has been done internationally. By seeking the voices of those with the dual experience of mental illness and breast cancer, this project will address that research gap,” says Dr Peterson,

from the University’s Social Psychiatry and Population Mental Health Research Unit.

“We will then be able to develop recommendations for cancer services, in collaboration with cancer clinicians and mental health service users. The aim is to improve cancer care and treatment,” says Dr Peterson.

“This study will look at the health needs of women with experience of mental illness, a group not often the focus of research. Moreover it prioritises the perspective of women with experience of mental illness,” they say.

ends

© Scoop Media