Leila Heckel1, Kate M Fennell2, Mohammadreza Mohebbi1, Monica Byrnes3, Patricia M Livingston1. 1. Deakin University, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Australia. 2. Cancer Council SA, 202 Greenhill Road, Eastwood, South Australia 5063, Australia; Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Sturt Road, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia; Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, City East Campus, North Terrace, Adelaide 5000, South Australia, Australia. 3. Cancer Council SA, 202 Greenhill Road, Eastwood, South Australia 5063, Australia.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Community-based cancer organizations provide telephone-based information and support services to assist people diagnosed with cancer and their family/friends. We investigated the demographic characteristics and psychosocial support needs of family/friends who contacted Australian Cancer Council 13 11 20 information and support helplines. METHODS: Data collected on 42,892 family/friends who contacted a 13 11 20 service across Australia from January 2010 to December 2012 were analyzed. Chi-square analysis was used to examine associations between caller groups and reasons for calling, logistic regression to examine age and gender interaction effects. RESULTS: The majority of calls received were from women (81%) of middle- (40%) and high-socio-economic backgrounds (41%), aged 40-59 years (46%); 52% phoned for information on cancer diagnosis (including early detection, risk factors), 22% on treatment/disease management, and 26% phoned seeking psychological/emotional support. Information on a diagnosis was significantly more often the reason older males called, compared to female callers of any age. Overall, 32% found out about the service through Cancer Council resources or events, 20% from the media, 18% from the internet; 11% from health professionals. CONCLUSIONS: Family/friends of persons diagnosed with cancer have specific information and support needs. This study identifies groups of family/friends to whom the promotion of this service could be targeted. Within Australia and internationally, clinicians and oncology nurses as well as allied health professionals can provide an important role in increasing access to cancer telephone support services to ensure the needs of the family and friends of people affected by cancer are being met.
PURPOSE: Community-based cancer organizations provide telephone-based information and support services to assist people diagnosed with cancer and their family/friends. We investigated the demographic characteristics and psychosocial support needs of family/friends who contacted Australian Cancer Council 13 11 20 information and support helplines. METHODS: Data collected on 42,892 family/friends who contacted a 13 11 20 service across Australia from January 2010 to December 2012 were analyzed. Chi-square analysis was used to examine associations between caller groups and reasons for calling, logistic regression to examine age and gender interaction effects. RESULTS: The majority of calls received were from women (81%) of middle- (40%) and high-socio-economic backgrounds (41%), aged 40-59 years (46%); 52% phoned for information on cancer diagnosis (including early detection, risk factors), 22% on treatment/disease management, and 26% phoned seeking psychological/emotional support. Information on a diagnosis was significantly more often the reason older males called, compared to female callers of any age. Overall, 32% found out about the service through Cancer Council resources or events, 20% from the media, 18% from the internet; 11% from health professionals. CONCLUSIONS: Family/friends of persons diagnosed with cancer have specific information and support needs. This study identifies groups of family/friends to whom the promotion of this service could be targeted. Within Australia and internationally, clinicians and oncology nurses as well as allied health professionals can provide an important role in increasing access to cancer telephone support services to ensure the needs of the family and friends of people affected by cancer are being met.
Authors: David J T Marco; Anna G Boltong; Adrian Dabscheck; Georgina Akers; Michelle Pryce; Victoria M White Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2017-09-17 Impact factor: 3.603