The New Hampshire Psychological Association sponsors or co-sponsors all of the pre-recorded video courses on this catalog. VPA is grateful for its collaboration and partnership.
Comprehensive cancer care includes mandated screening for and treatment of cancer distress (e.g., depression and anxiety symptoms). However, a gap persists between recognition of distress and access to evidence-based treatment, especially for rural populations. Rural populations face unique barriers, higher rates of mental health disorders, and limited access to mental and behavioral health services. Relatedly, rural cancer survivors report distress akin to anxiety and depressive disorders at a higher rate than urban survivors (18.8% vs. 12.8%, respectively). Unfortunately, geographic distance from Comprehensive Cancer Centers is a barrier to cancer distress treatment programs. These distress disparities exist in the larger context of disparities in health outcomes, mortality and morbidity rates, and health care access. Effective and robust interventions to reduce cancer distress exist. In order to reduce disparities in rural cancer care, it is critical that effective interventions for cancer distress are scaled to and adapted for rural settings.
