Needs assessment of rural and remote women travelling to the city for breast cancer treatment

The purpose of this study was to assess the needs of rural women travelling to the city for breast cancer treatment. Participants included 80 women aged between 34 and 80 years living in rural NSW and South Australia who travelled for breast cancer treatment. After completing treatment, participants completed a brief telephone survey on the needs of rural women travelling for treatment. Findings revealed that more than 90% of women travelled for treatment due to the lack of available treatment centres closer to home and on average they spent 6.79 weeks (SD=4.73) away from their home and family. Findings also showed that 89% identified specific problems for rural women, with social and practical support being primary concerns. Although the majority of women were provided with some type of social support, only 39% of women received financial assistance and 19% of these women had trouble claiming money for which they were eligible. Recommendations of appropriate interventions to ensure equity in the availability and access to breast cancer treatment for all women are discussed.