Adult cancer survivors’ mental health needs and experiences in primary care: a scoping review
Year: 2026
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Objective To examine current evidence on adult cancer survivors’ mental health experiences, defined as the emotional, psychological and psychosocial dimensions of survivorship, including fear of recurrence, anxiety, distress and related support needs, in primary care, and how primary care clinicians and systems support, or fail to support, these needs.Design Scoping review following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidance.Eligibility criteria Studies examining the mental health experiences of adult cancer survivors in primary care or community settings, defined as care delivered in general practice, family medicine or shared arrangements between oncology and primary care. Eligible designs included qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods empirical research; reviews and opinion pieces were also eligible but charted separately as contextual literature.Information sources PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and PsycINFO were searched from inception to February 2026.Results 21 studies (2004–2025) were included: 17 primary empirical studies (approximately 460 survivors and 230 providers) and 4 contextual/synthesis sources. Most empirical studies were qualitative (n=13), set in primary or shared-care contexts across several countries. Survivors described persistent emotional uncertainty, including fear of cancer recurrence and anxiety, often intensified during transitions from oncology to primary care. Barriers to accessing psychosocial support in primary care included fragmented communication, navigation burden, limited consultation time and constrained access to psychological services; facilitators of such support included continuity of care, proactive communication and clear follow-up planning. General practice was variably experienced as a site of relational continuity and emotional support, though inconsistently realised due to time and training constraints. Equity-related gaps were evident in cultural safety (care that is respectful of and responsive to patients’ cultural needs and communication preferences), family/carer involvement and access for marginalised, rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.Conclusions Adult cancer survivors experience substantial, ongoing mental health needs across survivorship, with primary care a critical but inconsistently supported setting for psychosocial care. Strengthening communication, coordination and equity-oriented approaches in primary care may improve mental health outcomes for people living with and beyond cancer.Trial registration This review was not prospectively registered to a structured protocol; an a priori project record is available at https://osf.io/vxfwm/overview.
Language: English
Topic: Cancer survivorship and care
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7225124428