Many men diagnosed with prostate cancer have poor mental health and need better support.

Every year 24,000 Australian men Prostate cancer is commonly diagnosed, making it the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Australian men.

Although survival rates are high, Approximately 96% Of men diagnosed with prostate cancer, 100% will survive for at least five years. Prostate cancer can have a significant impact on a man's mental health. This applies at all stages of the disease, including diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

The rate of anxiety, depression And suicide expensive The rate is higher among men with prostate cancer than in the general population.

Our Recent ResearchWe wanted to understand the extent to which mental health problems occur among men with prostate cancer and when they arise, as our findings suggest that they need to be offered earlier and more support.

What we discovered

We looked at 13,693 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in South Australia between 2012 and 2020. We analysed Prostate Cancer Registry data, together with data from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Medicare Benefit Schedule.

We used this data to track medication prescriptions (such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications) and mental health service use (such as GP mental health consultations and psychiatric consultations) five years before and five years after a prostate cancer diagnosis.

The proportion of men using antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication was found to have risen from 34.5% five years before diagnosis to 40.3% five years later. Around 10.2% had used mental health services five years ago, rising to 12.1% five years later. Mental health visits from general practitioners were the most common, rising from 7.8% to 10.6%.

The most significant increase in medication and medical service use for mental illness occurred around the time of prostate cancer diagnosis: around 15% of men started taking antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication at the time of diagnosis, and 6.4% sought help from mental health services for the first time.

Of note, the true impact of a prostate cancer diagnosis on men's mental health is likely underestimated in our study. We only looked at Medicare-subsidized mental health services; some men may receive mental health services privately or through community services. And, of course, some men with mental health problems may not seek help at all.

Men may be less likely to seek help

Our research shows that men are more likely to take medication than get help from mental health services – this could reflect a preference for medication, but it could also be due to limited availability of services and stigma around getting help.

Research has shown that many cancer patients Hesitation to ask for help Due to mental health concerns.

Evidence on general help-seeking behavior suggests that men Unlikely Men are less likely than women to seek support, due to stigma surrounding mental health and fear of appearing weak. A quarter of men If they were experiencing personal or emotional problems, they would seek help from a mental health professional.

Early intervention is key

Given the trends in pharmacotherapy and mental health service utilization observed in our study, it appears that men are most vulnerable to psychological problems during the period following their prostate cancer diagnosis. This vulnerability may stem from the stress of receiving a cancer diagnosis, treatment decisions, and anxiety about the future.

Therefore, it would be worthwhile to incorporate mental health screening into the routine prostate cancer diagnostic process. Mental health issues Paving the way for timely intervention and support is key, which can lead to significant improvements in mental health.

Rather than waiting for men to actively seek mental health support after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, men identified through such screening should be offered support at the time of diagnosis and throughout their treatment.

What do we need to do?

Psychological issues are among the most frequently reported unmet needs among men with prostate cancer.

To improve access to mental health care, Annual Session Expand Medicare-subsidised mental health services and extend access to GP mental health plans to men with prostate cancer.

Counseling services and other initiatives Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and Cancer Counciland the appointment of prostate cancer nurses could be expanded.

It might be worth expanding Telemedicine ServicesThese are important options when mental health services can be difficult for some prostate cancer patients to access due to cost or distance.

Finally, discussions about mental health need to be normalized so that men with prostate cancer have ample opportunity to voice their suffering and receive the support they need.

This is particularly important given the far-reaching impact that mental health issues have on a person's quality of life. Health outcomesand the strain it places on the entire healthcare system.