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Sources and types of online information that breast cancer patients read and discuss with their doctors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 November 2013

Erin K. Maloney ,
Thomas A. D'Agostino ,
Alexandra Heerdt ,
Maura Dickler ,
Yuelin Li ,
Jamie S. Ostroff  and
Carma L. Bylund
Erin K. Maloney*
Affiliation:
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Thomas A. D'Agostino
Affiliation:
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Alexandra Heerdt
Affiliation:
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Maura Dickler
Affiliation:
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Yuelin Li
Affiliation:
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Jamie S. Ostroff
Affiliation:
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Carma L. Bylund
Affiliation:
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Erin Maloney, Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania19104; E-mail: emaloney@asc.upenn.edu
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Abstract

Objectives:

Most research examining the impact of patients seeking online health information treats internet information homogenously, rather than recognizing that there are multiple types and sources of available information. The present research was conducted to differentiate among sources and types of internet information that patients search for, intend to discuss with their doctors, and recall discussing with their doctors, and to determine how accurate and hopeful patients rate this information.

Methods:

We surveyed 70 breast cancer patients recruited from the waiting rooms of breast medical oncology and surgery clinics. The main variables in the study were as follows: (1) the sources and types of online information patients have read, intended to discuss, and actually discussed with their doctors, and (2) how accurately and hopefully they rated this information to be.

Results:

Patients read information most frequently from the websites of cancer organizations, and most often about side effects. Patients planned to discuss fewer types of information with their doctors than they had read about. They most often intended to discuss information from cancer organization websites or WebMD, and the material was most often about alternative therapies, side effects, and proven or traditional treatments. Some 76.8% of total participants rated the information they had read as very or somewhat accurate, and 61% rated the information they had read as very or somewhat hopeful.

Significance of Results:

Internet information varies widely by source and type. Differentiating among sources and types of information is essential to explore the ways in which online health information impacts patients' experiences.

Keywords

Doctor–patient communicationOnline health information-seekingInternet health informationTrusted health sources
Type
Original Articles
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , April 2015 , pp. 107 - 114
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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