Mental Illness's Effect on Breast Cancer Survival
Medical illness pre-diagnosis
It can be much more difficult for people with severe mental illness to hold a job. This can place financial strain on them and their families and make access to healthcare more difficult. Additionally, severe mental illness can impact when and how people seek healthcare for problems that they may have, and what type of health education they receive. This means that people who may have the symptoms of breast cancer may not recognize them, or may not seek medical advice. This leads to later diagnosing which is directly related to increased mortality.
