Healthcare Providers' Attitudes Toward Oncology Patients With Mental Disorders: A Multicentre Mixed-Method Design Study

Background People living with mental disorders experience substantial health inequalities, including reduced life expectancy and higher mortality rates from physical illnesses, including cancer. In oncology settings, evidence suggests that patients with mental disorders are less likely to receive guideline-concordant treatment, are more likely to experience delays in diagnosis, and often have lower treatment adherence. Multiple factors contribute to these disparities, including patient-related, organisational, and healthcare provider-related determinants.

Among healthcare provider-related factors, stigma towards people with mental disorders may influence communication, therapeutic relationships, treatment decisions, and access to appropriate care. One particularly relevant mechanism is diagnostic overshadowing, whereby physical symptoms may be misattributed to a patient's psychiatric condition, potentially resulting in delayed diagnosis and suboptimal management. Despite growing recognition of these issues, limited evidence is available regarding stigma among oncology healthcare professionals, particularly within the Italian context.

Study Objectives The primary objective is to evaluate the level of stigma among healthcare professionals towards oncology patients with mental disorders.

Secondary objectives are:

To identify associations between stigma levels and individual or professional characteristics, including years of experience, professional role, clinical area, education, and previous personal or professional exposure to mental health conditions.