How belief systems shape cancer screening awareness – Texas School of Mental Health
Texas School of Mental Health shared a post on LinkedIn:
“In an interactive and insightful session with Dr. Ezaz Shaikh, we explored the critical role of health psychologists and psycho-oncologists in cancer care. This session was specially conducted for the Alumni and students of the Post Graduate Diploma in Psycho-Oncology offered by the Texas School of Mental Health.
The discussion highlighted the need for sensitive communication when breaking bad news, as it is often done without considering its emotional impact. Psychological referrals are frequently delayed despite early distress signals, and tools like the Distress Thermometer and Symptom Distress Scale are not widely utilized.
The session emphasized helping patients develop coping strategies, regulate emotions, and make informed treatment choices. Despite their crucial role in treatment adherence and quality of life, health psychologists in oncology struggle with recognition and are often evaluated by those unfamiliar with their work.
A key takeaway was how belief systems shape cancer screening awareness. Tailoring messages to different personalities and emphasizing benefits can improve screening turnout and early detection. While many countries license psycho-oncologists, India still lacks a formal framework.
Raising awareness among doctors, patients, and policymakers is essential to integrating psychological support into cancer care.
Mental health in oncology is not an afterthought – it is essential to improving treatment outcomes and quality of life. How can we better integrate psychological support into cancer care?”
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