PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Geoffrey K Mitchell AU - Afaf Girgis AU - Moyez Jiwa AU - David Sibbritt AU - Letitia H Burridge AU - Hugh E Senior TI - Providing general practice needs-based care for carers of people with advanced cancer: a randomised controlled trial AID - 10.3399/bjgp13X673694 DP - 2013 Oct 01 TA - British Journal of General Practice PG - e683--e690 VI - 63 IP - 615 4099 - http://bjgp.org/content/63/615/e683.short 4100 - http://bjgp.org/content/63/615/e683.full SO - Br J Gen Pract2013 Oct 01; 63 AB - Background Carers of patients with advanced cancer often have health and psychosocial needs, which are frequently overlooked.Aim To meet the needs of carers through a GP consultation directed by a self-completed carer needs checklist.Design and setting Randomised controlled trial in general practice with recruitment through specialist oncology clinics, in Brisbane, Australia.Method Intervention was (a) carer–GP consultations directed by a self-completed checklist of needs at baseline and 3 months; and (b) a GP-Toolkit to assist GPs to address carer-identified needs. Control group received usual care. Outcome measures were intensity of needs, anxiety and depression, and quality of life.Results Total recruitment 392. Overall, no significant differences were detected in the number or intensity of need between groups. Compared to controls, intervention participants with baseline clinical anxiety showed improvements in mental wellbeing (P = 0.027), and those with baseline clinical depression had slower development of anxiety (P = 0.044) at 6 months. For those not anxious, physical wellbeing improved at 1 month (P = 0.040). Carers looking after patients with poor functional status had more physical needs (P = 0.037) at 1 month and more psychological and emotional needs at 3 months (P = 0.034). Those caring for less unwell patients showed improved mental wellbeing at 3 months (P = 0.022).Conclusion The intervention did not influence the number or intensity of needs reported by carers of people with advanced cancer. There was limited impact in people with pre-existing clinical anxiety and depression. For the carer of those most severely affected by advanced cancer, it drew attention to the needs arising from the caregiving role.