• Ling Yu Keith Kam, Vikki E Knott, Carlene Wilson, and Suzanne K Chambers.
• School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia. happykeith7@hotmail.com
• Psychooncology. 2012 Mar 1;21(3):316-23.

ObjectiveTo describe oncology professionals' patterns of referral to existing community and psychosocial support services, including complementary therapies utilizing the theory of planned behavior (TPB).MethodsAn exploratory cross-sectional survey of 72 oncology professionals including nurses (73.6%), medical practitioners (19.4%) and allied health professionals (6.9%) from health institutions in South Australia assessed past referral patterns, perceived attitudes of peers, control over and attitudes toward, referral, past referral practices and how these impact on intention to refer.ResultsReferral to support services such as a cancer helpline, allied health or complementary services was infrequent. A hierarchical regression entering awareness, past referral and the TPB variables (attitude, subjective norm and perceived control) explained 51% of the variance on the outcome 'intention to refer'. Barriers to referral for support included lack of local services for remote patients, and financial considerations.ConclusionInterventions with health professionals should focus on the development of a culture, which recognizes the importance of addressing a breadth of patient needs across the cancer trajectory. Education and support for health professionals is required to ensure that they feel comfortable discussing support needs and referring to appropriate support services.Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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