Unmet Supportive Cancer Care Needs in South Australia

Background: Understanding supportive cancer care needs is critical for focusing limited health resources and delivering client-centred care.Aim: This study aimed to identify the supportive care needs of people with cancer and their caregivers in South Australia, and how these needs vary across demographics.Methods: 267 South Australians (192 people with cancer, 75 caregivers) completed an online survey about their supportive cancer care needs. The survey covered six domains: psychological, informational, practical & financial, service access, physical & daily living, and social, and included a mental health measure (PHQ-4).Results: The top five unmet needs for a person with cancer were: understanding government service entitlements (31%), doing work around the house (28%), not being able to do the things they used to (25%), fatigue (24%), and feeling fearful about the future (24%). The top five unmet needs for a caregiver were: understanding government service entitlements (29%), feeling fearful about the future (29%), feeling overwhelmed by carer responsibilities (25%), distress (24%), and information about grief and loss (24%). Participants who were younger (β=0.19, p=.007), not in a relationship (β=0.17, p=.004), and lived in a disadvantaged area (β=0.18, p=.008) were more likely to report a greater number of unmet needs. Additionally, a content analysis of the open-ended responses was performed to provide context and reasons for why needs were unmet. Conclusion: The results revealed key unaddressed needs and highlighted demographics at risk of an increased number of supportive cancer care needs.