Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42399839›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2026

Multi-level stakeholder perspectives on barriers and facilitators to engaging older adult cancer survivors in mental health treatment.

Rebecca M Saracino, Ellen Y Park, Devika R Jutagir, Leah E Walsh, Jaime Gilliland, Caraline Demirjian, Kelly McConnell, Christian J Nelson

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Rebecca M SaracinoDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 633 Third Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10017, USA. jamesr@mskcc.org.
Ellen Y ParkDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 633 Third Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10017, USA.
Devika R JutagirDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 633 Third Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10017, USA.
Leah E WalshBrookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place Box 1070, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
Jaime GillilandDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 633 Third Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10017, USA.
Caraline DemirjianDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 633 Third Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10017, USA.
Kelly McConnellDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 633 Third Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10017, USA.
Christian J NelsonDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 633 Third Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10017, USA.

Funding

X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHYP30CA008748 · NCI · SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RES · PI SELWYN M VICKERS · 1985 to 2026
$347.4M
Behavioral Activation for Depression in Older Adult Cancer Survivors: Pilot Randomized Control Trial and Implementation OutcomesK08CA252633 · NCI · SLOAN-KETTERING INST CAN RESEARCH · PI SARACINO, REBECCA · 2021 to 2025
$902k
NCI NIH HHS K08 CA252633NCI NIH HHS K08CA252633NCI NIH HHS P30 CA008748
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe current study sought to identify the barriers to and facilitators of connecting older adult cancer survivors (OACS) to mental health treatment in cancer survivorship and to better understand the opportunities to improve the likelihood that OACS receive appropriate services in survivorship.

methodsFour virtual focus groups with 22 stakeholders (i.e., OACS, social workers, and APPs) were conducted. A semi-structured focus group guide queried participants about their experiences of referring and connecting to mental health services during cancer survivorship with a focus on barriers and facilitators. Thematic content analysis guided the generation and interpretation of major and minor study themes from the focus groups.

resultsOACS were 56% female [n = 5; mean age = 74 (range: 66-85)]. Providers were 92% female (n = 12) and 69% (n = 9) had been working in oncology for over ten years. Three major conceptual themes were identified: (1) Care pathway characteristics (i.e., limited referral resources and knowledge); (2) Patient-level characteristics (i.e., motivation, stigma); (3) Perspectives on telehealth (i.e., overall increased access to care but may present challenges for some OACS). These overarching themes included sub-themes of barriers and facilitators to connecting OACS to mental health services.

conclusionsOACS remain disconnected from mental health services and providers struggle to overcome systemic barriers to getting survivors the care they need. Given the standard of care to screen for depression in cancer survivorship, OACS will continue to be identified as depressed with no clear recourse for intervention. Therefore, future research on how to mitigate barriers and improve existing care pathways to connect OACS to mental health treatment is warranted.

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsHealth Services AccessibilityMental Health ServicesNeoplasmsStakeholder ParticipationAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleFocus GroupsHumansMaleMental HealthTelemedicineAgingAnxietyCancer survivorsDepressionFocus groupsMental health treatmentOlder adult

Identifiers

PMID42399839
PMCPMC13602514

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.