Rural Cancer Survivors' Perceived Delays in Seeking Medical Attention, Diagnosis and Treatment: Findings From a Large Qualitative Study.

Taglieri-Sclocchi, A; Bindicsova, I; Ayre, SK; Ireland, M; March, S; Crawford-Williams, F; Chambers, S; Dunn, J; Goodwin, BC; Johnston, EA

Rural Cancer Survivors' Perceived Delays in Seeking Medical Attention, Diagnosis and Treatment: Findings From a Large Qualitative Study.

Taglieri-Sclocchi, A Bindicsova, I Ayre, SK Ireland, M March, S Crawford-Williams, F Chambers, S

Dunn, J Goodwin, BC Johnston, EA

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Publisher:: Wiley
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Cancer Med, 2025, 14, (14), pp. e71036
Issue Date:: 2025-07

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Taglieri-Sclocchi, A
dc.contributor.author	Bindicsova, I
dc.contributor.author	Ayre, SK
dc.contributor.author	Ireland, M
dc.contributor.author	March, S
dc.contributor.author	Crawford-Williams, F
dc.contributor.author	Chambers, S https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2369-6111
dc.contributor.author	Dunn, J
dc.contributor.author	Goodwin, BC
dc.contributor.author	Johnston, EA
dc.date.accessioned	2025-07-25T02:27:03Z
dc.date.available	2025-07-02
dc.date.available	2025-07-25T02:27:03Z
dc.date.issued	2025-07
dc.identifier.citation	Cancer Med, 2025, 14, (14), pp. e71036
dc.identifier.issn	2045-7634
dc.identifier.issn	2045-7634
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/188841
dc.description.abstract	AIMS: To investigate rural cancer survivors' self-reported reasons for perceived delays in initial cancer detection and treatment. METHODS: Within a cohort study, adult cancer survivors who had travelled > 50 km for cancer care, staying at subsidised accommodation lodges in city centres in Queensland, Australia, were invited to complete a structured interview on perceived delays in: (i) seeking medical attention, (ii) receiving their diagnosis and (iii) commencing treatment. Content analysis was used to map self-reported reasons for perceived delays at each step, which were then categorised based on the perceived source: (i) personal, (ii) healthcare professional, (iii) healthcare system or (iv) other. The self-reported reasons and perceived sources were summarised using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Six hundred and eighty-six rural cancer survivors completed the interview (18% breast, 15% head and neck, 12% prostate and 12% skin cancer). Almost half (n = 320, 47%) of participants perceived a delay at one or more steps. Delays in seeking medical attention were perceived by 132 (19%) participants, mostly related to personal factors (n = 67, 51%), including misinterpreting (n = 19, 28%) signs and symptoms. Delays in diagnosis were perceived by 161 (23%) participants, mostly related to healthcare professional factors (n = 86, 53%), including requiring further opinions or testing for diagnosis (n = 30, 35%). Delays in commencing treatment were perceived by 157 (23%) participants, mostly due to healthcare system factors (n = 57, 37%), including long waitlists (n = 39, 68%). Of the participants who perceived a delay in commencing treatment, comparison with timeframes recommended in the relevant Optimal Care Pathway identified that 57% of perceived delays were actual delays. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived delays in the pathway to initial cancer detection and treatment are common among rural cancer survivors. Improvements in patient-clinician communication could reduce perceived delays, particularly in diagnosis and treatment. Promoting early help-seeking, participation in cancer screening and improving access to diagnostic and treatment infrastructure may also improve care experiences.
dc.format	Print
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Wiley
dc.relation.ispartof	Cancer Med
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1002/cam4.71036
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 1112 Oncology and Carcinogenesis
dc.subject.classification	3211 Oncology and carcinogenesis
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Cancer Survivors
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Rural Population
dc.subject.mesh	Patient Acceptance of Health Care
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Delayed Diagnosis
dc.subject.mesh	Neoplasms
dc.subject.mesh	Time-to-Treatment
dc.subject.mesh	Queensland
dc.subject.mesh	Health Services Accessibility
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Neoplasms
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Rural Population
dc.subject.mesh	Health Services Accessibility
dc.subject.mesh	Patient Acceptance of Health Care
dc.subject.mesh	Queensland
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Delayed Diagnosis
dc.subject.mesh	Time-to-Treatment
dc.subject.mesh	Cancer Survivors
dc.title	Rural Cancer Survivors' Perceived Delays in Seeking Medical Attention, Diagnosis and Treatment: Findings From a Large Qualitative Study.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	14
utslib.location.activity	United States
utslib.for	0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology
utslib.for	1112 Oncology and Carcinogenesis
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2025-07-25T02:27:01Z
pubs.issue	14
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	14
utslib.citation.issue	14

Abstract:

AIMS: To investigate rural cancer survivors' self-reported reasons for perceived delays in initial cancer detection and treatment. METHODS: Within a cohort study, adult cancer survivors who had travelled > 50 km for cancer care, staying at subsidised accommodation lodges in city centres in Queensland, Australia, were invited to complete a structured interview on perceived delays in: (i) seeking medical attention, (ii) receiving their diagnosis and (iii) commencing treatment. Content analysis was used to map self-reported reasons for perceived delays at each step, which were then categorised based on the perceived source: (i) personal, (ii) healthcare professional, (iii) healthcare system or (iv) other. The self-reported reasons and perceived sources were summarised using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Six hundred and eighty-six rural cancer survivors completed the interview (18% breast, 15% head and neck, 12% prostate and 12% skin cancer). Almost half (n = 320, 47%) of participants perceived a delay at one or more steps. Delays in seeking medical attention were perceived by 132 (19%) participants, mostly related to personal factors (n = 67, 51%), including misinterpreting (n = 19, 28%) signs and symptoms. Delays in diagnosis were perceived by 161 (23%) participants, mostly related to healthcare professional factors (n = 86, 53%), including requiring further opinions or testing for diagnosis (n = 30, 35%). Delays in commencing treatment were perceived by 157 (23%) participants, mostly due to healthcare system factors (n = 57, 37%), including long waitlists (n = 39, 68%). Of the participants who perceived a delay in commencing treatment, comparison with timeframes recommended in the relevant Optimal Care Pathway identified that 57% of perceived delays were actual delays. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived delays in the pathway to initial cancer detection and treatment are common among rural cancer survivors. Improvements in patient-clinician communication could reduce perceived delays, particularly in diagnosis and treatment. Promoting early help-seeking, participation in cancer screening and improving access to diagnostic and treatment infrastructure may also improve care experiences.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/188841