Colorectal cancer affects about 5,000 Danes every year. People over 50 are most likely to get this cancer.
Because of this, all Danes between the ages of 50 and 74 are offered free screening to catch the disease early. But not everyone is taking up this offer.
A recent study from Aarhus University’s Department of Clinical Medicine reveals that especially those battling mental health issues are less likely to get screened.
This research was published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.
The First of its Kind
This research stands out because it’s the first time someone has looked at how mental illness affects the likelihood of people taking part in a national stool sample-based cancer screening program.
Mette Kielsholm Thomsen, a postdoc and the lead researcher of the study, is worried about what they found.
What The Study Shows
Thomsen and her team used data from over 2 million Danes over 50 who were offered colorectal cancer screening.
They found that men with severe mental disorders were 13.8 percentage points less likely to take part in the screening compared to those without mental health issues.
For women, the gap was even wider at 15.4 percentage points. Even milder mental issues, such as those requiring antidepressants or psychological treatment but not psychiatric treatment, influenced whether people got screened.
The Serious Consequences
Thomsen explains that this is a major issue because people with milder mental health problems form a relatively large group. The risk that their cancer won’t be detected in time is therefore quite high.
Previous research has shown that although people with mental disorders have the same cancer risk as the general population, they are more likely to die from it.
Adapting the Screening Program
Thomsen suggests that the colorectal cancer screening program should be adjusted to better support people with mental health issues.
This could involve mental health professionals or general practitioners providing the necessary support for people with mental illness to participate in these screenings.
Following Through is Also Important
Taking part in the screening is one thing, but completing the full screening program is another. In colorectal cancer screening, people send in a stool sample to be tested.
If blood is found in the sample, they’re asked to go for a follow-up endoscopy.
Thomsen found that people with mental health issues were not only less likely to participate in the screening but were also less likely to go for the endoscopy, even when blood was found in their samples.
The Call for Action
Thomsen hopes that her study will shine a spotlight on the need to help Danes with mental health issues participate in and complete cancer screening programs.
She calls on the Danish Health Authority and other stakeholders to pay serious attention to this study’s findings and think about how to lower the barriers preventing people with mental health issues from taking part in health prevention services.
Follow us on Twitter for more articles about this topic. The study was published in The Lancet Psychiatry.
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