Information Needs and Sources of Information for Patients during Cancer Follow-Up

Abstract

(1) Background: Now more than ever, cancer patients want health information. Little has been published to characterize the information needs and preferred sources of that information for patients who have completed cancer treatment. (2) Methods: We used a nationally validated instrument to prospectively survey patients attending a cancer clinic for a post-treatment follow-up visit. All patients who came to the designated clinics between December 2011 and June 2012 were approached (N = 648), and information was collected only from those who agreed to proceed. (3) Results: The 411 patients who completed the instrument included individuals with a wide range of primary malignancies. Their doctor or health professional was overwhelmingly the most trusted source of cancer information, followed by the Internet, family, and friends. The least trusted sources of information included radio, newspaper, and television. Patients most preferred to receive personalized written information from their health care provider. (4) Conclusions: Cancer survivors are keenly interested in receiving information about cancer, despite having undergone or finished active therapy. The data indicate that, for patients, their health care provider is the most trusted source of cancer information. Cancer providers should ask patients about the information they want and should direct them to trusted sources.

Health information needs and preferences in relation to survivorship care plans of long-term cancer survivors in the American Cancer Society’s Study of Cancer Survivors-I

“…Half of prostate cancer survivors visited their primary care provider first for information; 18 % searched on the internet [63]. Another cross-sectional survey of 411 patients (from those undergoing treatment to ≥5 years post-treatment) attending cancer clinic post-treatment follow-up found that the most preferred source of health information was the internet, followed by health provider [64]; the opposite was true for 865 cancer survivors up to ≥11 years post-diagnosis that completed a population-based telephone survey [34]. However, those at least 1 year post-treatment have reported seeking cancer-related information from an average of five sources, suggesting that offering a variety of sources may be preferable [65].…”

Improving cancer patients’ knowledge about totally implantable access port: a randomized controlled trial

“…Nurses can be very effective as information providers with cancer patients [6] and can play this role with several strategies. Beside oral communication, written education, especially if in leaflet format, personalized and reviewed with a healthcare professional, is very appreciated by cancer patients [7,4,8]. Information booklets are more appealing if readable, clearly presented, without jargon, and including information regarding resources available at the hospital [9].…”

The promise of virtual navigation in cancer care: Insights from patients and health care providers

“…These findings seem to get to the ethos of the differing orientation and needs of patients and providers. It has been previously documented that patients prefer information from HCPs, but when it is unavailable they seek information elsewhere, most predominantly on the internet (James et al, 2007;Mulcahy, Parry, & Glover, 2010;Shea-Budgell et al, 2014). Thus, it could be advantageous for HCPs and cancer centres to preemptively provide access to reliable VN tools in an effort to mitigate pitfalls associated with patients' online information seeking efforts (Lee, Hoti, Hughes, & Emmerton, 2014).…”