Cardiologists' attitudes toward psychological care: a national survey on perceptions, collaboration and barriers.

The vast majority of cardiologists acknowledged the relevance of psychological factors to CVD management, yet a substantial proportion had never collaborated with a psychologist.

• 96.3% of respondents acknowledged the relevance of psychological factors to CVD management and treatment
• 33.9% reported never having collaborated with a psychologist
• 218 cardiologists completed the survey out of 268 who accessed it
• Mean age of respondents was 54.0 ± 13.8 years
• Participants were affiliated with the Italian National Association of Hospital Cardiologists (ANMCO)

A substantial proportion of cardiologists withheld psychological referrals despite recognizing patient need.

• 39.0% of cardiologists reported withholding psychological referrals despite recognizing patient need
• Major barriers included concern that patients might interpret a referral as minimization of somatic symptoms
• Concern that referral could reinforce stigma was also identified as a major barrier
• These barriers were identified through the questionnaire assessing perceived barriers to referral

The majority of cardiologists had never received training on psychological aspects of CVD, though interest in such training was high.

• 64.2% of cardiologists had never received training on psychological aspects of CVD
• Interest in such training was high, with at least 82.6% expressing interest
• Training gap was identified as an educational barrier to integrating psychological care

Prior collaboration with psychologists and more positive help-seeking attitudes were associated with greater perceived usefulness of psychological care.

• Cardiologists who had prior collaboration with psychologists showed greater perceived usefulness of psychological care
• More positive help-seeking attitudes were also associated with greater perceived usefulness of psychological care
• These associations were identified through the online cross-sectional survey design

The study used an online cross-sectional survey design to assess cardiologists' experiences, attitudes, and perceived barriers related to psychological care in CVD.

• Survey was conducted online among cardiologists affiliated with ANMCO (Italian National Association of Hospital Cardiologists)
• 268 cardiologists accessed the survey; 218 completed it
• The questionnaire assessed experiences with psychologists, attitudes toward managing psychological distress in CVD, perceived barriers to referral, and attitudes toward psychological help
• Study design was cross-sectional

Despite evidence of a bidirectional relationship between cardiac and mental health, psychological care remains insufficiently integrated into cardiology practice.

• The bidirectional relationship between cardiac and mental health is noted as established in the literature
• Structural, educational, and cultural barriers were identified as limiting integration
• Targeted training, clear communication strategies, and stronger interprofessional collaboration were proposed as potential solutions
• The authors recommend advancing a biopsychosocial approach in cardiology