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RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)
Contents Vol 31(3)

The role of general practice to address the supportive care needs of Australian cancer survivors: a qualitative study

Olivia Bellas https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7067-6925 A , Emma Kemp https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5664-8031 A , Jackie Roseleur https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4990-1312 A * , Laura C. Edney https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2447-4118 A , Candice Oster https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8214-3704 B Jonathan Karnon https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3220-2099 A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

B Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

* Correspondence to: jackie.roseleur@flinders.edu.au

Australian Journal of Primary Health 31, PY24098 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY24098
Submitted: 3 July 2024  Accepted: 24 March 2025  Published: 14 April 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of La Trobe University. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY)

Abstract

Background

Cancer survivors have a broad range of supportive care needs that are not consistently managed in general practice. Understanding the barriers primary healthcare providers face in providing high quality supportive care is crucial for improving the delivery of supportive care in general practice.

Methods

This Australian qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with general practitioners (n = 9), practice nurses (n = 8), and a community liaison worker employed in general practice (n = 1), to explore barriers and facilitators to identifying and managing supportive care for cancer survivors. Data were thematically analysed to develop recurring themes related to the identification and provision of supportive care.

Results

Four major themes were developed: identification of supportive care needs, time and provision of supportive care, challenges in supportive care for diverse populations, and desire for more information. Improved education; enhanced communication across all levels of healthcare, including centralised access to patient information; and greater knowledge of available services were highlighted as facilitators to the management of supportive care for cancer survivors.

Conclusions

Targeted efforts to support the facilitators identified here can contribute to more effective management of supportive care for diverse cancer survivor populations to improve the overall quality of care and health outcomes for these individuals.

Keywords: cancer services, cancer survivorship, general practice, general practitioners, healthcare system, oncology, practice nurses, unmet needs.

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