title: What is the ideal support group? Views of Australian people with cancer and their carers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore views on the ideal structure and process of support groups for cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 184 cancer support groups identified in NSW, Australia, 50 were randomly selected within strata of five variations in group structure: homogenous versus heterogenous participants; urban versus rural; community versus hospital setting, leader with cancer experience or not; and with professional training or not. Four hundred and seventy-six group members completed a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants valued being with others like them, gaining information about cancer and having an effective leader. Groups were seen to be currently failing people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and links with oncology health professionals were inadequate. Few clear preferences for structure were expressed, except for the non-exclusion of those with a poor prognosis. Patients tended to prefer the structure of their own group, but patients longer since diagnosis, those with better informal support and carers preferred to meet in the community setting, while men with prostate cancer preferred a medical setting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some suggestions for group structure and process can be made on the basis of these findings; however, individual variation suggests that a needs analysis should be made by individual groups.
authors.affiliation: Medical Psychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia. phyllisb@psych.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Phyllis N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Butow
authors.forename: Laura T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Kirsten
authors.forename: Jane M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ussher
authors.forename: Gerard V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Wain
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sandoval
authors.forename: Kim M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hobbs
authors.forename: Katharine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hodgkinson
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stenlake
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D009517:New South Wales; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000458:organization & administration*