Poster Presentation 2025 National Cancer Survivorship Conference

Exploring the barriers to optimal survivorship care for people living with cancer in NSW. (#70)

Yuqi Ouyang 1 , Reegan McKenzie 1 , Helen Tran 1 , Bradley Gellert 1 , Elizabeth Kennedy 2 , Carolyn Mazariego 2 , Michael David 3 4 , Janette Vardy 5 6
  1. Policy and Advocacy unit, Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. School of Population Health, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. The Daffodil Centre, University of Sydney, a joint venture with Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  4. School of Medicine & Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
  5. Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  6. Sydney Cancer Survivorship Centre, Concord Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Background

Cancer survivorship care is a growing focus in NSW as the number of cancer survivors continues to rise. Survivorship care encompasses the physical, emotional, and social challenges individuals face after completing active treatment, aiming to support their long-term well-being. However, current models often prioritise disease surveillance rather than the broader impacts of cancer, such as long-term effects, psychosocial needs, and lifestyle changes. Possible reasons for these gaps include resource limitations, a lack of integrated care models, and insufficient training for healthcare providers in survivorship care principles. Identifying these gaps is essential to improving care delivery and outcomes for cancer survivors.

Aim

Primary aim: to understand the perceptions and provision of survivorship care among cancer survivors, and identify obstacles to optimal care.  Secondary aim: gain insights to help Cancer Council NSW develop policy recommendations to ensure survivors receive comprehensive support throughout their post-treatment journey.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among cancer survivors aged 18 and older who had completed active treatment. Data on survivorship care experiences, barriers to access, and unmet needs were collected. Firth logistic regression models analysed associations between outcomes (receiving a survivorship care plan, receiving supportive care information, and whether support met needs) and demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical predictors.

Results

Only 10.9% of 209 participants reported receiving a survivorship care plan, while 64.2% received information about supportive care services, and 72.2% felt their needs were met. Regional participants were significantly less likely to report their needs being met compared to metropolitan participants. Key barriers included high costs and long appointment wait times, particularly for psychological support, exercise physiology and specialist care.

Conclusion

Addressing barriers to survivorship care in NSW requires targeted policy interventions, including financial support, enhanced access for regional populations, and standardised survivorship care plans.