Mental health screening in Cystic Fibrosis as an intervention: Patient and caregiver feedback on improving these processes.

Abstract

Background: Integration of mental health (MH) screening and treatment in cystic fibrosis (CF) has become the standard of care. The European CF Society (ECFS) and CF Foundation (CFF) MH working groups evaluated how well these processes are working for people with CF (pwCF) and their caregivers.
Methods: Adult pwCF and family caregivers of children and adults in Europe and the United States completed a 23-item online survey assessing MH screening and its perceived benefits. Three implementation models were evaluated for their “fit” using thematic analysis with a 75.4% agreement. The model Stages and Determinants of Implementation fit best.
Results: Of 474 respondents, 79% were female, 57% European. PwCF and caregivers agreed that MH is an important aspect of CF health (93%); 58% of the sample was not screened for depression/anxiety, mainly because it was not offered. Those who were screened rated CF teams as more interested in their MH and provision of psychological support. Screening was perceived as helping respondents understand their feelings, with most willing to pursue MH care if recommended. Over half of those screened discussed their results with their CF MH clinician; many respondents who had not had a conversation “wished there had been one.”
Conclusions: PwCF and caregivers viewed the MH screening process itself as an intervention that facilitated a better understanding of their emotional functioning, providing opportunities for psychological support and discussion of MH needs