Purpose: People diagnosed with cancer from rural and remote locations may experience heightened distress because of distance from cancer treatment and support services. We examined whether remoteness and other factors are associated with psychosocial distress and explored commonly reported problems among cancer patients in Western Australia (WA).
Methods: In a cross-sectional study, cancer patients newly referred to a Cancer Council WA Cancer Support Coordinator (CSC) were screened and assessed using the Distress Thermometer (DT) and Problem List (PL) and a standardized form, respectively.