Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32671557›Full record

ArticleJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2021

Persistent digital divide in health-related internet use among cancer survivors: findings from the Health Information National Trends Survey, 2003-2018.

Naleef Fareed, Christine M Swoboda, Pallavi Jonnalagadda, Timothy R Huerta

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 57 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
57citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
15.6field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

57 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 97 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Digital supportive care in prostate cancer: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
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  9. The relationship between mobile health app use, eHealth literacy, and psychological well-being in women with gynecological cancer: a descriptive correlational study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
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  20. "Everything cannot be handled virtually": Understanding intention and use of digital health technologies among rural adults and rural cancer survivors.The Journal of rural health : official journal of the American Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Care Association · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Naleef FareedCATALYST - The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA. Naleef.Fareed@osumc.edu.
Christine M SwobodaCATALYST - The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
Pallavi JonnalagaddaCATALYST - The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
Timothy R HuertaCATALYST - The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
The Ohio State University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposePrior research on the use of the internet among cancer survivors indicates a digital divide. The online landscape and patterns of information consumption, however, have notably changed over the past decade necessitating an updated examination of health-related internet use (HRIU) among cancer survivors.

methodsUsing survey data from 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2017, and 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) iterations, the objectives of this study were to report prevalence, trends, and user profiles in HRIU in terms of emailing doctors, buying medicine online, and support group participation. Descriptive analyses and weighted multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.

resultsCancer survivors who reported not using the internet were more likely to be older, belong to ethnic minorities, be less educated, and reside in rural areas as compared with those who reported using the internet. Except for participation in online support groups, all other types of HRIU increased in prevalence across the years.

conclusionsConsistent with the increased penetration of the internet and the altered online health communication landscape, we found increased prevalence of HRIU among cancer survivors. However, the digital divide persists in terms of internet access. These findings can inform initiatives to bridge the gap among survivors of varying profiles in using the internet for their health needs. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: There is increased reliance on online platforms to obtain and communicate health-related information. The risk with this approach is potential oversight of ensuring equity in terms of internet access and technology literacy among survivors.

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsDigital DivideNeoplasmsAdolescentAdultAgedFemaleHumansInternetInternet UseMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultCancer survivorsDisparitiesHealth communicationHealth informationHealth promotionInformation sourcesInternet

Identifiers

PMID32671557
PMCPMC7360998
OpenAlexW3043726625

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.