Introduction

The 13 11 20 Helpline lies at the heart of Cancer Council information and support services and is a gateway to a myriad of programs providing informational, emotional and practical support in the community.  A national dataset inclusive of demographics, cancer type and primary reason for contact has been collected for a number of years.  Calls to 13 11 20 have been steadily declining from nearly 70,000 in 2010 to the current level of approx 55,000/annum despite increasing incidence and survival rates.

Aim

Research was undertaken to understand the reasons for calling the Helpline, satisfaction with the service, and barriers to using the Helpline.

Methodology

A market research company was commissioned to undertake a community attitudes survey of people touched by cancer (n=428) including patients (n=128) and carers (n=300) by phone (84% response rate of identified sample). Key questions included awareness of Helpline; who referred, awareness of assistance that could be provided by Helpline, and reasons for calling (or not) Helpline.

Results

People affected by cancer reported seeking information mainly through internet (32% of respondents) and doctors (31%). Only 3% of respondents had contacted the Helpline and 11% had sought information on the Cancer Council website in the last 2 years. Most common reasons for not contacting the Helpline was not feeling the need to call, seeking information from doctor or other information sources usually online, and low awareness of the service.

Conclusions

The perception of not wanting or needing help is a barrier preventing calls and there is a need to widen understanding of the information and support that can be provided by contacting Cancer Council 13 11 20. Knowing more about what is available would provide people greater clarity about why to call the service. Strategies that engage medical professionals to recommend people call is critical and should be an ongoing focus.