# Reducing Disparities in Underserved Patients with Cancer and Serious Mental Illness

> **NIH NIH K08** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2020 · $229,491

## Abstract

Candidate: This K08 Career Development Award will prepare Dr. Irwin to become an independent R01-level
investigator in cancer care delivery for patients with serious mental illness (SMI), with a focus on developing
and scaling interventions to improve cancer outcomes for this vulnerable population. She will gain expertise in
the design, execution, and analysis of randomized controlled trials, mixed methods, and implementation
science. Dr. Irwin’s work will position her to contribute to national efforts to integrate psychosocial care into
cancer care delivery and decrease disparities in cancer mortality for a neglected population. Environment:
The Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, the MGH Cancer Center, and Harvard
Medical School will provide institutional support. Mentorship: Mentors are internationally-recognized
investigators with complementary expertise: pragmatic trials for SMI (primary mentor: Andrew Nierenberg,
MD), mixed methods and implementation science (co-mentor: Elyse Park, PhD, MPH), and supportive
oncology interventions (co-mentor: Jennifer Temel, MD). Dr. Irwin will receive invaluable guidance in
designing, conducting, and analyzing a randomized controlled trial of a proactive psychiatry consultation
intervention integrated into cancer care and gain critical knowledge about the hospital and community mental
health system to inform implementation in the community. Drs. Nierenberg, Park, and Temel are committed to
assisting Dr. Irwin in meeting her goals. Additional scientific advisors will provide expertise in: clinical
informatics (Adrian Zai, MD PhD, MPH), analysis of claims data (Vicki Fung, PhD), iterative intervention
development and longitudinal assessment (Joseph Greer, PhD), biostatistics (Yuchiao Chang, PhD), hospital
administration and quality improvement (Inga Lennes, MD, MPH, MBA), and the public mental health system
(Kathy Sanders, MD). Training: Dr. Irwin will complete her research project and structured training including:
meetings with mentors and advisors, seminars, conferences, manuscript writing, an externship at the
Department of Mental Health, and coursework at Harvard Catalyst, the Harvard School of Public Health, and
the NIH (research ethics, mixed methods, longitudinal analysis, and implementation science). Research:
Individuals with SMI experience inequities in cancer treatment that contribute to premature cancer mortality yet
targeted interventions have not been designed to improve care for this underserved population. We propose a
randomized controlled trial to 1) investigate the impact of proactive psychiatry consultation (PPC) on cancer
care (disruptions and health care utilization), 2) investigate the impact on patient and caregiver-reported
outcomes including psychiatric symptoms, engagement in care, and caregiver burden, and 3) identify barriers
and facilitators to implementing and disseminating PPC in the cancer center and the community through
qualitative interviews with...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9984845
- **Project number:** 5K08CA230185-03
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Kelly Edwards Irwin
- **Activity code:** K08 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $229,491
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-08-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9984845

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9984845, Reducing Disparities in Underserved Patients with Cancer and Serious Mental Illness (5K08CA230185-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9984845. Licensed CC0.

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