Male callers to Cancer Council SA’s 13 11 20: Current utilisation patterns and ways to address unmet information and support needs

Gender, age and cancer type are important predictors of cancer information and support-seeking behaviours. For example, research has found that women more actively seek cancer information and utilise information services, such as cancer helplines. Males tend to gather information more passively and prefer to access anonymous online information and support groups to connect with similarly-diagnosed peers. Cancer Council’s 13 11 20 information and support service offers informational, practical and emotional support to all people affected by cancer. To optimise support service utilisation, evaluation data for South Australian males calling 13 11 20 for their first time were analysed to answer three questions: 1) How do patterns of service use differ in men compared to women?; 2) What may explain these differences, and does this suggest unmet information and support needs among South Australian males?; and 3) How can these needs be better met in the future?