A survey of Internet utilization among patients with cancer.
Introduction: Recently published articles have established that a substantial number of cancer patients utilize the Internet to gather information about their respective diagnoses. The challenges for medical providers include understanding the prevalence and characteristics of patients using the Int...
| Published in: | Supportive Care in Cancer Vol. 19; no. 8; pp. 1183 - 1191 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
| Format: | research Journal Article |
| Published: |
Springer Nature
Aug2011
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=104572957&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 104572957 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 09414355 O1J jtl: Supportive Care in Cancer issn: 09414355 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Aug2011 vid: 19 iid: 8 pid: 237 pub: Springer Nature place: New York, New York artinfo: ui: 104572957 62001690 NLM20556435 2011194262 10.1007/s00520-010-0935-5 NLM20556435 104572957 ppf: 1183 ppct: 8 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P tig: atl: A survey of Internet utilization among patients with cancer. aug: au: Castleton K Fong T Wang-Gillam A Waqar MA Jeffe DB Kehlenbrink L Gao F Govindan R Castleton, Kimra Fong, Thomas Wang-Gillam, Andrea Waqar, Muhammad A Jeffe, Donna B Kehlenbrink, Lisa Gao, Feng Govindan, Ramaswamy affil: Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63100, USA sug: subj: Health Education Communication Internet Utilization Neoplasms Psychosocial Factors Patient Satisfaction Adolescence Adult Aged Aged, 80 and Over Chi Square Test Female Surveys Internet Male Middle Age Questionnaires Self Assessment Statistics Young Adult Adolescent: 13-18 years Adult: 19-44 years Aged: 65+ years Aged, 80 & over Middle Aged: 45-64 years Female Male ab: Introduction: Recently published articles have established that a substantial number of cancer patients utilize the Internet to gather information about their respective diagnoses. The challenges for medical providers include understanding the prevalence and characteristics of patients using the Internet, reasons for Internet use, and the effectiveness of currently available websites in providing useful health-related information to patients.Material and Methods: Adults with cancer were asked to complete a self-administered, anonymous, 21-item questionnaire upon registration at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at the Washington University School of Medicine.Results: There were 500 respondents (mean age 58 years (range 18-90), 83% Caucasian and 15% African-American). Three hundred ninety-eight participants (80%) reported access to the Internet, and 315 (63%) reported searching for information about cancer on the Internet. Patients accessing the Internet for cancer information were younger than those who did not (median age 56 vs. 63 years; p < 0.001). Internet usage for cancer information also differed by race (p < 0.0001) and education (p < 0.0001). Among patients who searched the Internet for cancer information, 13.3% of patients had their decisions towards treatments affected or changed, and 11.4% of patients had their choice in physicians affected or changed because of Internet use; 23.5% of patients sought information on clinical trials, and 9.5% of patients were influenced or changed their decision regarding clinical trial enrollment due to Internet information.Discussion: Approximately two thirds of patients with cancer used the Internet to obtain information about their disease. Factors affecting Internet use for cancer information included age, race, and education. Clinical decisions can be affected by Internet use. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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