- Title
- Preferences for models of peer support in the digital era: A cross-sectional survey of people with cancer
- Creator
- Boyes, Allison; Turon, Heidi; Hall, Alix; Watson, Rochelle; Proietto, Anthony; Sanson-Fisher, Robert
- Relation
- NHMRC.1073317 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1073317
- Relation
- Psycho-oncology Vol. 27, Issue 9, p. 2148-2154
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pon.4781
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2018
- Description
- Many people with cancer report an unmet need for peer support, yet participation rates are low. This study examined cancer patients' preferences for participating in peer support, and the characteristics associated with having or wanting to participate in peer support.Adult cancer patients were recruited from outpatient oncology clinics at 5 hospitals in Australia. Participants were invited to self-complete 2 questionnaires: one at recruitment assessing their demographic and cancer characteristics, and another 4weeks later assessing their preferences for participating in cancer-related peer support.The peer support questionnaire was completed by 177/273 (65%) of participants. Most (59%, n=104) had or wanted to participate in peer support. More than half reported that it was important the people they connected with had the same cancer treatment (56%, n=99) or type of cancer (53%, n=94) as themselves. Half had or wanted to participate in 1-to-1 peer support (52%, n=92). Half had or wanted to connect with peers face-to-face (53%, n=93). Only 13% (n=23) were receptive to connecting with peers over the internet. Being aged =65years was significantly associated (OR=2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-5.1) with reporting a preference for participating in peer support.Cancer patients are interested in participating in peer support, particularly those who are younger. Despite the digital era, traditional forms of peer support continue to be important in supporting people with cancer. Greater understanding of the barriers to cancer patients' involvement in potentially low cost and high reach web-based models of peer support is required.
- Subject
- cancer; internet; oncology; patient preference; peer group; self-help groups; social support; surveys; questionnaires; neoplasm
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1412193
- Identifier
- uon:36437
- Identifier
- ISSN:1057-9249
- Rights
- This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Boyes, A., Turon, H. and Hall, A. et al. (2018) Preferences for models of peer support in the digital era: A cross-sectional survey of people with cancer, Psycho-oncology, 27(9) 2148-2154 which has been published in final form at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pon.4781. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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