Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine prevalence of Australian prostate cancer survivors meeting contemporary exercise-oncology guidelines and identify associations with distress, unmet supportive care needs, and quality of life.Methods: A population-based cohort of 463 prostate cancer survivors who were on 10.8 months post-curative therapy was assessed for compliance with current exercise guidelines for cancer survivors, motivational readiness for physical activity, psychological distress, unmet supportive care needs, and quality of life.Results: Only 57 men (12.3%) reported sufficient exercise levels (150 min of moderate intensity or 75 min of strenuous exercise per week and twice weekly resistance exercise), 186 (40.2%) were insufficiently active, and 220 (47.5%) were inactive. Among inactive men, 99 (45.0%) were in the contemplation or preparation stage of motivation readiness. Inactive men had higher global distress (p = 0.01) and Brief Symptom Inventory-Anxiety (p < 0.05) than those who were insufficiently active. Total Supportive Care Needs and International Prostate Cancer Symptom scores were higher in inactive than insufficiently and sufficiently active men (p < 0.05). Lack of physical activity contributed to poorer quality of life.Conclusions: Only a small proportion of Australian prostate cancer survivors met contemporary exercise-oncology recommendations despite increasing recognition of exercise to improve patient outcomes. Strategies are urgently required to increase prostate cancer survivors' participation in aerobic and resistance exercise training.

Objective: Exercise may reduce morbidity, increase survival, and improve quality of life (QoL) in prostate cancer patients. However, effective ways to encourage exercise outside carefully controlled clinical trials remain uncertain. We evaluated the effectiveness of peer-led self-management for increasing exercise participation in men with localized prostate cancer.Methods: Four hundred and sixty-three prostate cancer patients from Queensland, Australia were randomized to a monthly telephone-based group peer support for 6 months supported by self-management materials and exercise equipment (INT, n = 232) or usual care (UC, n = 231).Participants were assessed at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months. Primary outcomes were compliance with exercise guidelines; secondary outcomes were psychological distress and QoL.Results: Patients in INT engaged in more resistance exercise than UC at 3 months (19.4 [95% CI 6.52 to 32.28] min/wk, P = .003) and 6 months (14.6 [95% CI 1.69 to 27.58] min/wk, P = .027); more men achieved sufficient physical activity levels at 3 months (χ 2 = 8.89, P = 0.003). There was no difference between groups for aerobic-based activity at any time point nor for resistance exercise time at 12-month follow-up. INT had higher QoL Relationships scores at 3 months (.03 [95% CI .00 to .06], P = .038) compared with UC. Limitation included self-reported assessment of exercise.Conclusions: Peer-led intervention was effective in increasing patients' resistance exercise participation in the short-to-medium term and in the number of men achieving sufficient activity levels in the short-term; however, this was not accompanied by overall improvements in QoL or psychological distress. Methods to increase effectiveness and maintain long-term adherence require further investigation.

Objective Psychosexual morbidity is common after prostate cancer treatment, however, long‐term prospective research is limited. We report 5‐year outcomes from a couples‐based intervention in dyads with men treated for localised prostate cancer with surgery. Methods A randomised controlled trial was conducted involving 189 heterosexual couples, where the man received a radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. The trial groups were peer support vs. nurse counselling versus usual care. Primary outcomes were sexual adjustment, unmet sexual supportive care needs, masculine self‐esteem, marital satisfaction, and utilisation of erectile aids at 2‐, 3‐, 4‐ and 5‐year follow‐up. Results The effects of the interventions varied across the primary outcomes. Partners in the peer group had higher sexual adjustment than those in the usual care and nurses group at 2 and 3 years (P = 0.002‐0.035). Men in usual care had lower unmet sexual supportive care needs than men in the peer and nurse groups (P = 0.001; P = 0.01) at 3 years. Women in usual care had lower sexual supportive care needs than women in the peer group at 2 and 3 years (P = 0.038; P = 0.001). Men in the peer and nurse group utilised sexual aids more than men in usual care; at 5 years 54% of usual care men versus 87% of men in peer support and 80% of men in the nurse group. Conclusion Peer and nurse‐administered psychosexual interventions have potential for increasing men's adherence to treatments for erectile dysfunction. Optimal effects may be achieved through an integrated approach applying these modes of support.

Causation cannot be determined from this study but possible explanations for differences in prevalence include changes in global economic, political and security contexts and concerns between 1997 and 2002 and the possible role of greater availability of alcohol in Australia. The findings also provide encouragement that strenuously implementing a national mental health policy may have been of benefit to people with mental health problems in Australia.

Purpose The purpose of the study was to investigate the amount and type of survivorship care information received by cancer survivors living in rural Australia and whether this varies according to demographic factors or cancer type. Methods Self-reported receipt of a survivorship care plan (SCP) and information on various aspects of survivorship care (e.g., managing side effects, healthy lifestyles, psychosocial advice and monitoring for recurrence) were collected from 215 cancer survivors who had returned home to a rural area in Queensland Australia after receiving cancer treatment in a major city within the previous 5 years (72% in the previous 12 months). Logistic regression was used to assess for differences across demographic factors and cancer type. Results Only 35% of participants reported receiving a SCP and proportions of those reporting the receipt of specific information varied from 74% for information on short-term side effects to less than 30% for information on finances, chemoprevention and monitoring for signs of recurrence. No significant differences were found in the receipt of survivorship care information across demographic factors or cancer type. Conclusions Findings suggest that cancer survivors living in rural areas are not consistently provided with adequate survivorship care information, particularly that pertaining to long-term health and recovery. Implications for Cancer Survivors Without improved systems for delivering survivorship care information to patients returning home to rural communities after treatment, these cancer survivors risk missing out on necessary information and advice to maintain their health, wellbeing and long-term recovery.