title: Demographic characteristics of patients using a fully integrated psychosocial support service for cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychosocial support services are an important component of modern cancer treatment. A major challenge for all psychosocial services is the achievement of equity of use. Previous studies in the UK have found that women of higher socio-economic status with breast cancer were over-represented amongst those accessing support services. People with other cancer diagnoses, those from socio-economically deprived areas, and men, were under-represented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Oncology Health Service, Kingston Upon Hull, UK, delivers fully integrated psychosocial support and interventions. To assess equity of access in this service, a cross-sectional study of all patients with cancer accessing the service during a 5 day period was carried out. One hundred and forty-five patients attended. Forty four percent were male, and the types of cancer were broadly in the proportions expected on the basis of population prevalence (breast cancer 22%, colorectal cancer 21%, lung cancer 16%). Sixty six percent came from the three most deprived quintiles of the Townsend deprivation Index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The fully integrated Oncology Health Service in Hull is accessed by a more diverse range of patients than previously reported for other services, and is an example of a model of service by which socially equitable use of psychosocial support in the National Health Service might be achieved.
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Rehabilitation, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, 215 Anlaby Rd, Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire, HU3 2PG, UK. d.m.sharp@hull.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: Mary B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Julie S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bateman
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Braid
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hebblewhite
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hope
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lines
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Leslie G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Walker