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RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)
Contents Vol 31(5)

Optimising prevention activities in primary care for cancer survivors: a novel socio-technical approach using the Functional Resonance Analysis Method

Sundresan Naicker https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2392-4981 A , David Chua https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7813-4816 B , Elizabeth Halcomb https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8099-986X C , Ben Harris-Roxas https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1716-2009 D , Mark Harris https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0705-8913 E Kylie Vuong https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2671-9473 F G H *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation, School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Qld, Australia.

B Centre for Community Health and Wellbeing, University of Queensland, Springfield Central, Qld, Australia.

C School of Nursing, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.

D School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

E International Centre for Future Health Systems, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

F Department of General Practice and Primary Care, Melbourne Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Vic, Australia.

G School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Southport, Qld, Australia.

H School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

* Correspondence to: kylie.vuong@unimelb.edu.au

Australian Journal of Primary Health 31, PY24186 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY24186
Submitted: 10 April 2025  Accepted: 31 August 2025  Published: 19 September 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-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Background

Primary care provides comprehensive whole-of-person patient-centred care with important responsibilities in prevention among cancer survivors. This includes cancer surveillance, the management of other chronic diseases, health promotion and preventative care. However, there is inconsistent application of prevention activities. We explored the experiences of Australian general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses to: (1) understand the delivery of prevention activities for cancer survivors; and (2) identify determinants to optimise disease prevention activities within the current general practice context. Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in Australia. However, each GP will likely diagnose only one new case of colorectal cancer per year. Colorectal cancer survivorship care was provided as an example to prompt discussion on the delivery of prevention activities for cancer survivors and determinants to optimise prevention.

Methods

A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with GPs and practice nurses from New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. Interviews were conducted between June 2021 and February 2022. Transcripts were reflexively analysed and mapped to the Functional Resonance Analysis Method framework.

Results

We conducted 15 interviews with GPs (n = 11) and practice nurses (n = 4) from 12 practices. Three potential activities fundamental to disease prevention for cancer survivors were identified: risk assessment, partnering with the patient and co-planning prevention activities.

Conclusions

Primary care is a complex and adaptive system. The Functional Resonance Analysis Method approach, by visualising the dynamic interactions and interdependencies between people, resources, time and system conditions involved in prevention activities, offers a pragmatic guide to develop acceptable, scalable and adaptable interventions for promoting disease risk estimation (cancer and other chronic diseases), therapeutic partnerships and co-planning activities within the socio-technological constraints of the system studied using the resources available. This approach represents a key paradigm shift in health system innovation for cancer survivors.

Keywords: cancer, cancer survivorship, general practice, healthcare systems, health promotion, nurse–physician collaboration, prevention, primary health care.

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