RecruitingInterventional

Mental Health Care Initiation Intervention for Older Adults With Cancer

NCT ID: NCT06037954Sponsor: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterLast updated: 2025-07-10

Summary

The purpose of this study is to look at mental health services for adults with depressed mood who were diagnosed with cancer at the age of 65 or older. This study will compare the usual approach for connecting older adults with depressed mood to mental health services with the Open Door for Cancer (OD-C) approach. We will find out if the OD-C approach is practical and useful for cancer patients who participate in the intervention and for providers who see or treat cancer patients.

Arms & interventions

OtherQuestionnaires
Patient demographic characteristics, Clinical variables, Cornell Service Index-Short Form (CSI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale-7 (GAD-7), Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8), Intention to Seek Help Scale, Health Beliefs about Mental Illness Instrument (HBMII) - Emotional/Nervous Severity Scale, Health Beliefs about Mental Illness Instrument (HBMII) - Emotional/Nervous Benefits Scale, Barriers to Mental Health Services Scale-Revised, Cues to action, Self-Efficacy to Seek Mental Health Care (SE-SMHC)
OtherInterviews
Interviews will be conducted by the qualitative methods specialist and trained study staff and will last 30-45 minutes.
Other30-minute telephone or videoconference sessions
Includes five components delivered in three 30-minute telephone or videoconference visits over six weeks and one booster telephone call. All sessions are audio-recorded. The five components are: 1. Provide education about depression and treatment options 2. Identify treatment preferences and a personal goal achievable with mental health care 3. Assess barriers to treatment initiation 4. Recommend a referral using standardized referral options 5. Address barriers to accessing care

Outcome measures

Primary

Refusal rates
≥75% of eligible patients enroll in the study
Time frame: 2 years
Attrition rates
≥80% of patients who enroll complete all study procedures
Time frame: 2 years

Secondary

Treatment satisfaction
Time frame: 2 years

Eligibility criteria

Sex: AllAge: 65 Years and olderHealthy volunteers: No

Inclusion Criteria: Patients * Per medical record and/or self-report, diagnosed with breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer at age 65 years or older * Per medical record and/or self-report, undergoing active cancer treatment (e.g., radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery) or within six months of completing treatment * Score of ≥5 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) * Per self-report, fluent in English\*\* \*\* Language verification: Prior to enrollment, patients will be asked the following two questions by a Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) to verify English fluency necessary for participation in the study: 1. How well do you speak English? (must respond "very well" or "well" when given the choices of Very well, Well, Not well, Not at all, Don't know, or Refused) 2. What is your preferred language for healthcare? (must respond English) Providers * Per self-report, works in oncology, nursing, social work, psychology, or psychiatry * Per self-report, currently works in oncology at least 50% of the time * Per self-report, provided cancer care for at least three years at time of consent * Per self-report, fluent in English Exclusion Criteria: Patients * Severely cognitively impaired as demonstrated by Blessed Orientation Memory Concentration scores of ≥ 11 * Per research staff judgment and/or self-report, too ill or weak to complete study procedures * Per medical record and/or self-report, receiving hospice care at the time of enrollment * Per medical record and/or self-report, currently enrolled in mental health treatment Providers * N/A

Study locations (1)

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

New York, New York, 10065

Recruiting

Kelly McDonnell, PhD · Contact

646-888-0026

Christian Nelson, PhD · Contact

646-888-0030