scholarly journals Cancer patients searching for cancer- or health-specific online information: A qualitative analysis of navigation strategies and problems when using the Internet (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Lange-Drenth ◽  
Holger Schulz ◽  
Gero Endsin ◽  
Christiane Bleich
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Active Role ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Search Tasks ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Internet Searching ◽  
Oncological Rehabilitation ◽  
Performance Problems

BACKGROUND Searching the Internet for cancer-related information helps cancer patients satisfy their unmet information needs and empower them to play a more active role in the management of their disease. However, to benefit from the search, patients need a sufficient level of skills to search, select, appraise, and apply online health information. OBJECTIVE To study the operational, navigation, information, and evaluation skills and problems of cancer patients performing cancer-related search tasks using the Internet. METHODS Twenty-one cancer patients were recruited during their stay at the rehabilitation clinic for oncological rehabilitation. The participants performed eight cancer-related search tasks using the Internet. The participants were asked to think aloud while performing the tasks, and screen activities were recorded. The types and frequency of performance problems were identified and coded into categories following an inductive coding process. Additionally, the performance and strategic characteristics of task execution were summarized descriptively. RESULTS All the participants experienced problems or difficulties executing the tasks, and a substantial percentage of tasks (40%) could not be completed successfully. The participants’ performance problems were coded into four categories: (1) operating the computer and web browser, (2) navigating and orientating, (3) utilizing search strategies, and (4) evaluating the relevance and reliability of online information. The most frequent problems occurred in the third and fourth categories. Nineteen (90%) participants used nontask-related search terms or nonspecific search terms. Twenty (95%) participants never controlled the source or topicality of the found information. Additionally, none of the participants verified the information on one website with that on another website for each task. CONCLUSIONS A substantial group of cancer patients did not have the necessary skills to benefit from cancer-related Internet searching. Future interventions are needed to support patients in the development of sufficient Internet searching skills, focusing particularly on information and evaluation skills.

scholarly journals The extent to which cancer patients trust in cancer-related online information: a systematic review

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Lange ◽  
Mona Leandra Peikert ◽  
Christiane Bleich ◽  
Holger Schulz
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Cancer Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Related Information

Background The use of the internet to satisfy information needs is widespread among cancer patients. Patients’ decisions regarding whether to act upon the information they find strongly depend on the trustworthiness of the information and the medium. Patients who are younger, more highly educated and female are more likely to trust online information. The objectives of this systematic review were to examine the extent to which cancer patients trust in cancer-related online information, internet websites as a source of cancer-related information or the internet as a medium of cancer information. Methods A systematic review was conducted using five databases (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42017070190). Studies of any kind were included if they measured cancer patients’ trust in online health information. Study quality was assessed using the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) item bank. A narrative synthesis was undertaken to examine the included studies. Results Of the 7,314 citations obtained by the search, seven cross-sectional studies were included in the synthesis. A total of 1,054 patients reported having some or a great deal of trust in online cancer information; 154 patients reported moderately trusting such information; and 833 patients reported having no or little trust in online cancer information, internet websites as a source of cancer-related information or the internet as a medium of cancer-related information. Two of the seven studies reported between group comparisons for the above-stated patient characteristics. The methodological quality of the included studies was diverse. Conclusion The results of the included studies indicates that approximately half of cancer patients appear to trust cancer-specific online information, internet websites as a source of cancer-related information or the internet as an information medium. However, the small number of included studies, high heterogeneity of participants, methods and outcomes calls for further systematic research. It is important to understand that cancer patients do and will increasingly use trusted cancer information websites to search for information concerning their disease. Therefore, physicians and other health care providers should provide more support and advice to these patients.

The Impact of a Highly Publicized Celebrity Suicide on Suicide-Related Online Information Seeking

Crisis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Arendt ◽  
Sebastian Scherr
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Search Queries ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Celebrity Suicide ◽  
Online Information Seeking ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Background: Research has already acknowledged the importance of the Internet in suicide prevention as search engines such as Google are increasingly used in seeking both helpful and harmful suicide-related information. Aims: We aimed to assess the impact of a highly publicized suicide by a Hollywood actor on suicide-related online information seeking. Method: We tested the impact of the highly publicized suicide of Robin Williams on volumes of suicide-related search queries. Results: Both harmful and helpful search terms increased immediately after the actor's suicide, with a substantial jump of harmful queries. Limitations: The study has limitations (e.g., possible validity threats of the query share measure, use of ambiguous search terms). Conclusion: Online suicide prevention efforts should try to increase online users' awareness of and motivation to seek help, for which Google's own helpline box could play an even more crucial role in the future.

scholarly journals Information Needs of Cancer Patients are Influenced by Time Since Diagnosis, Stage of Cancer, Patients’ Age, and Preferred Role in Treatment-related Decisions

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 80 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Loy
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
English Language ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Information Need ◽  
Need For Information

A review of: Kalyani, Ankem. “Factors Influencing Information Needs Among Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis.” Library & Information Science Research; 28.1 (2006) 7-23. Objective – The author aims to study the aggregate influence of demographic and situational variables on the information needs of cancer patients, in order to inform the provision of information to those patients. Design – Meta-analysis. Setting – Research articles published in the MEDLINE and CINAHL databases. Subjects – English language studies published between 1993 and 2003. An initial search set of 196 studies from MEDLINE and 283 studies from CINAHL were identified. Following rigorous assessment, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. Methods – A comprehensive search of the databases was conducted, initially combining “neoplasm” with “cancer patients” using the Boolean “or”. These results were then combined with five separate searches using the following terms; information need(s), information seeking, information seeking behaviour, information source(s) and information resource(s). This identified in total 479 English language articles. Based on a review of titles and abstracts, 110 articles were found covering information resources or the information needs of cancer patients. These articles were then subjected to the further inclusion criteria and limited to studies which included: analysis of information needs and/or information sources of cancer patients; adults as subjects of the research; and application of quantitative research methods and relevant statistics. This eliminated a further 35 papers. Twelve of the remaining 75 studies were selected for meta-analysis based on their use of the same variables measured consistently in comparable units. The final 12 studies included various forms of cancer, and no distinction was made among them. All 12 studies appeared in peer-reviewed journals. Main results – The meta-analysis found there was consistently no difference between the information needs of men and women. Five subsets were identified within the meta-analysis, and findings for each can be stated as follows: The younger the age of the patient, the greater their overall need for information was likely to be. During treatment, the time elapsed from the diagnosis to the information need was not significant. Once identified, the information need remained constant. During treatment and post-treatment phases, the time elapsed from the diagnosis to the information need made no significant difference, with the information need remaining constant and continuing into the post-treatment phase. The stage of cancer made no difference to the need for information. Those patients in the advanced stages of cancer required an equal amount of information to those in the early stages of cancer. The individual patient’s preferred role in treatment-related decisions made a difference to the information need. Patients who took an active role in treatment-related decisions had a greater need for information than those who did not take an active role. Conclusion – Findings from this meta-analysis can be used to guide information provision to cancer patients, specifically taking patient age and preferred role in treatment decision-making into consideration. Further research into the reasons behind the lower information needs among older patients is called for by the author.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Communication to English- and Spanish-Speaking Cancer Patients: A Website Analysis of Seven Healthcare Systems in North Texas (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin T Higashi ◽  
John W Sweetenham ◽  
Aimee D Israel ◽  
Jasmin A Tiro
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Web Pages ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Visual Aids ◽  
North Texas ◽  
Spanish Speaking

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic created an urgent need to rapidly disseminate health information, especially to those with cancer because they face higher morbidity and mortality rates. At the same time, the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Latinx populations underscores the need for information to reach Spanish-speakers. However, the equity of information about COVID-19 to Spanish-speaking cancer patients communicated through institutions’ online media is unknown. OBJECTIVE We conducted a multi-modal, mixed method document review study to evaluate the equity of online information about COVID-19 and cancer available to English and Spanish speaking populations from seven healthcare institutions in North Texas, where one in five adults is Spanish-speaking. Our focus is less on the “digital divide”, which conveys disparities in access to computers and the Internet based on the race/ethnicity, education, and income of at-risk populations; rather, our study asks: to what extent is online content useful and culturally appropriate in meeting Spanish-speakers’ information needs? METHODS We reviewed 50 websites (33 English, 17 Spanish) over a period of one week in mid-May 2020. We sampled seven institutions’ main oncology and COVID web pages, as well as both internal (institutional web pages) and external (non-institutional web pages) linked content. We conducted several analyses for each sampled page: (a) thematic content analysis, (b) literacy level analysis using Readability Studio software, (c) coding using the Patient Education and Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT), and (d) descriptive analysis of video and diversity content. RESULTS The themes most frequently addressed on English and Spanish websites differed somewhat. While “resources/FAQs” were frequently cited themes on both websites, English websites more frequently addressed “news/updates” and “cancer+COVID”, whereas Spanish websites addressed “protection” and “COVID data”. Spanish websites were on average lower literacy (11th grade) than English (13th grade), although still far above recommended guidelines of <9th grade. The overall average accessibility score using the PEMAT analysis was the same for English (n=33 pages) and Spanish pages (n=17 pages) at 82%. Among the DFW organizations, the average accessibility of the Spanish pages (n=7) was slightly lower than that of the English pages (n=19) at 77% vs. 81%, respectively, due mostly to the discrepancy in English-only videos and visual aids. Twelve of the 50 websites (24%) had embedded videos in them, however 100% of videos were in English, including one that was on a Spanish website. CONCLUSIONS We identified an uneven response among the seven healthcare institutions to providing equitable information to Spanish-speaking DFW residents concerned about COVID and cancer. Spanish-speakers lack equal access in both diversity of content about COVID-19 and access to other websites, leaving an already vulnerable cancer patient population at greater risk. We recommend several specific actions to enhance content and navigability for Spanish-speakers.

scholarly journals Caught in the net: Characterizing how testicular cancer patients use the internet as an information source

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Yeo ◽  
Bernhard Eigl ◽  
Sherry Chan ◽  
Christian Kollmannsberger ◽  
Paris-Ann Ingledew
Keyword(s):  
Testicular Cancer ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Treatment Decision ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Cancer Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Healthcare Information

Introduction: Over 70% of Canadians who use the internet search for healthcare information online. This is especially true regarding the young adult population. Testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men aged 15–29. This study characterizes how testicular cancer patients access healthcare information online, and how this influences their clinical encounters and treatment decisions. Methods: From June 2018 to January 2019, a survey consisting of 24 open and close-ended questions was distributed to testicular cancer patients at a tertiary cancer center. Survey results were evaluated using mixed methods analysis. Results: Fifty-nine surveys were distributed, and 44 responses were received. All respondents used the internet regularly and 82% used the internet as a source of information regarding their cancer. The majority followed top hits from Google when selecting websites to view. Frequent topics searched included treatment details and survivorship concerns. Eighty-nine percent of users found online information easy to understand and 94% found it increased their understanding. For 47% of users, the internet did not influence their clinical consultation nor their treatment decision (53%). Conclusions: Most testicular cancer patients in this study are regular internet users and use the internet to search for testicular cancer information. Healthcare providers should recognize this and can play important roles in discussing online findings with patients to assess their background knowledge and expectations, as well as providing guidance on selecting credible online resources. The results of this study can be used to improve patient-physician communication and education.

scholarly journals Online health information seeking behaviours of parents of children undergoing surgery in a pediatric hospital in Rome, Italy: a survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Russo ◽  
Ilaria Campagna ◽  
Beatrice Ferretti ◽  
Elisabetta Pandolfi ◽  
Marta Luisa Ciofi Degli Atti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Surgical Procedures ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Major Surgery ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Pediatric Hospital ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey

Abstract Background People increasingly search online for health information. Particularly, parents of patients often use the Internet as a source for health information. We conducted a survey to investigate the online searching behavior of parents of patients < 18 years, admitted for surgery in an Italian pediatric hospital. Methods The cross-sectional survey was nested in a prospective cohort study on surgical procedures. Parents of patients undergoing surgical procedures at Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy, were enrolled and contacted by phone after the procedure. We recorded socio-demographic data, sex, length of stay following surgery, proximity of residence to the hospital, use of the internet to search for information on the surgery before and after the intervention and effect of information found online. Results The majority (91%) of parents of children undergoing surgical intervention used the internet. Of these, 74.3% of parents searched for information before surgery, and 26.1% searched for information after. Most parents searched for information on the care provider’s website. Two thirds of parents reported that information found online had increased their understanding of the child’s condition. Multivariate analyses indicated that families living far from the hospital (> 43 km) were more likely to search for health information (OR 2.3; 95% CI 1.34–4.00), as were families of patients undergoing a major surgery (OR = 2.1; 95% CI 1.04–4.11). Conclusions Parents of children undergoing surgery often search online for information on their child’s intervention, in particular those whose child is scheduled for a major surgery and those living far from the hospital. A survey like the present one allows to understand parents’ information needs, to better guide them in online information seeking and to better tailor information provided on the care provider’s website.

scholarly journals Gender Divides in Engagement With COVID-19 Information on the Internet Among U.S. Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celeste Campos-Castillo
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Search For Information ◽  
Share Information

Abstract Objective Gender and age disparities in older adults’ exposure to pandemic stressors may create different needs for engaging with COVID-19 information, yet mitigation strategies to curb spreading COVID-19 inhibit their access to preferred in-person information networks. To inform the design of Internet-based interventions for older adults, the current study of U.S. older adults examines gender and age divides in searching for and sharing COVID-19 information on the Internet. Method A secondary analysis of survey data from the Pew Research Center fielded March 19–24, 2020. Bivariate probit regressions jointly estimated how searching for and sharing information on the Internet about COVID-19 were associated with the age and gender of U.S. older adults (50 or older), adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Results Consistent with previous research, younger older adults (50–64) were more likely than their older counterparts (65 or older) to search for and share information about COVID-19 and men, regardless of age, were less likely than women to share information. While men are usually more likely than women to search for information, women who are younger older adults were most likely to search for COVID-19 information. Discussion Internet-based interventions for older adults should consider how gender shapes their exposure to pandemic stressors. Men, who were already at risk of social isolation before the pandemic, may be candidates for interventions encouraging social uses of the Internet. Women between 50 and 64 were most likely among adults to provide care for another adult before the pandemic, which may be shaping their online information needs.

scholarly journals A literature review of parents’ online behavior

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jodi Dworkin ◽  
Jessica Connell ◽  
Jennifer Doty
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Online Behavior ◽  
Online Social Support ◽  
Internet Searching ◽  
Use Of The Internet

The purpose of this literature review was to compile and analyze the research that has been conducted on parents’ use of the Internet and determine what we know about how parents use the Internet in everyday life. A comprehensive literature review focusing on studies that have asked parents about their Internet use was conducted to include research published through December 2011. This yielded 27 studies. Articles were summarized and then organized by content. Three main themes emerged: what parents are doing online, social support online, and the digital divide. This literature review revealed that parents go online to search for parenting information and social support and generally report satisfaction with the resources they find on the Internet. Parents still express hesitation in trusting various online resources, though, and desire greater education in Internet searching and deciphering the credibility of online information. In addition, this review also exposes gaps in current research, provides direction for future research, and has implications for how to effectively reach parents using the Internet.

scholarly journals What Filipinos, the world’s number one Internet users, want to know about cancer: A Google search analysis from 2015 to 2019.

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (suppl) ◽  
pp. 23-23
Author(s):  
Lance Isidore Garcenila Catedral ◽  
Louis Mervyn Banua Leones ◽  
Carlo Miguel Berba
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cancer Symptoms ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Cancer Breast ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Internet Users

23 Background: Filipinos were the world’s heaviest Internet users in 2018. It has been shown that they use the Internet to actively search for health-related information, but it has not yet been determined what kinds of information are sought. There is a gap in our present understanding of the information needs of the Filipino population in relation to cancer. The study assessed the cancer-related information needs of Filipinos using Internet search data from March 2015 to May 2019. Methods: A retrospective longitudinal study was done using Google AdWords Keyword Planner to identify search terms related to cancer from Internet users from the Philippines from June 2015 to May 2019. The identified search terms were assessed descriptively using Microsoft Excel version 16.26. The search terms were qualitatively categorized and described. Results: A total of 806 cancer-related search terms were identified, with 13,632,890 Google web searches, during the period under review. The top ten search terms with the highest monthly search volume in the Philippines (n=4,741,600, 34.78%) were “cancer,” “breast cancer,” “cervical cancer,” “prostate cancer,” “colon cancer,” “breast cancer symptoms,” “lung cancer,” “lung cancer symptoms,” “colon cancer symptoms,” and “lungs.” In this time period, Filipinos sought information on cancer-related signs and symptoms (n=3,307,640, 24.26%) and cancer treatment (n=604,070, 4.43%). Filipinos also searched for alternative, herbal, and natural cancer treatments, but the search volume accounted for a low percentage of the total searches (n=8,710, 0.06%). Searches for the search term, “cancer,” were highest on January to February, a trend observed from January 2016 to 2019. Conclusions: Our study provides insight into the cancer-related information needs of the Filipino population. This information may inform the development of targeted, cost-effective awareness campaigns through the Internet, which may be more effective if launched at the beginning of each year.

scholarly journals Online Information-Seeking About Potential Breast Cancer Symptoms: Capturing Online Behavior With an Internet Browsing Tracking Tool (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Afrodita Marcu ◽  
Cecile Muller ◽  
Emma Ream ◽  
Katriina L Whitaker
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Cancer Symptoms ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Online Information Seeking

BACKGROUND People engage in health information-seeking online when experiencing unusual or unfamiliar bodily changes. It is not well understood how people consult the internet for health information after the onset of unfamiliar symptoms and before receiving a potential diagnosis and how online information-seeking can help people appraise their symptoms. This lack of evidence may be partly due to methodological limitations in capturing in real time the online information-seeking process. OBJECTIVE We explored women’s symptom attribution and online health information-seeking in response to a hypothetical and unfamiliar breast change suggestive of cancer (nipple rash). We also aimed to establish the feasibility of capturing in real time the online information-seeking process with a tool designed to track participant online searches and visited websites, the Vizzata browser tracker. METHODS An online survey was completed by 56 cancer-free women (mean age 60.34 [SD 7.73] years) responding to a scenario asking them to imagine noticing a red scaly rash on the nipple. Participants were asked to make symptom attributions when presented with the scenario (T1) and again after seeking information online (T2). The online tracking tool, embedded in the survey, was used to capture in real time participant search terms and accessed websites. RESULTS The tracking tool captured the search terms and accessed websites of most of the participants (46/56, 82%). For the rest (10/56, 18%), there was evidence of engagement in online information-seeking (eg, medical terminology and cancer attribution at T2) despite their searching activity not being recorded. A total of 25 participants considered cancer as a potential cause for the nipple rash at T1, yet only one of these used cancer as a search term. Most participants (40/46, 87%) used rash-related search terms, particularly nipple rash and rash on nipple. The majority (41/46, 89%) accessed websites containing breast cancer information, with the National Health Service webpage “Paget disease of the nipple” being the most visited one. At T2, after engaging in the internet search task, more participants attributed the nipple rash to breast cancer than at T1 (37/46, 66% vs 25/46, 45%), although a small number of participants (6/46) changed from making a cancer attribution at T1 to a noncancer one at T2. CONCLUSIONS Making a cancer attribution for an unfamiliar breast change did not necessarily translate into cancer-termed searches. Equally, not all internet searches led to a cancer attribution. The findings suggest that online information-seeking may not necessarily help women who experience unfamiliar breast cancer symptoms understand their condition. Despite some technical issues, this study showed that it is feasible to use an online browser tracking tool to capture in real time information-seeking about unfamiliar symptoms.

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