Mental health significantly impacts cancer care. Researchers analyzed Medicare data on patients with gastrointestinal cancer and mental illness from 2004 to 2016. They found that those with limited access to psychiatric services faced higher risks of postoperative complications, extended hospital stays, 90-day readmissions, and poorer overall outcomes. Patients with mental illness and restricted access to mental health services encountered worse postoperative results. This highlights the need for policymakers and healthcare providers to prioritize mental health support to bridge disparities among gastrointestinal cancer patients.
Journal Article by Katayama ES, Woldesenbet S (…) Pawlik TM et 5 al. in Ann Surg Oncol
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