ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2021
Internet and social media use in cancer patients: association with distress and perceived benefits and limitations.
Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Addressing cancer survivors' information needs and satisfaction: a systematic review of potential intervention components for survivors with a rare cancer type.Orphanet journal of rare diseases · 2024Pooled it
- Multilevel barriers and facilitators of communication in pediatric oncology: A systematic review.Pediatric blood & cancer · 2022Pooled it
- Online cancer forums and complementary and alternative medicine in cancer care: effects of ehealth literacy and psychological distress on use and attitudes.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Does Social Media Use Associate with Vasomotor, Sexual, and Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors Receiving Endocrine Therapy?Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- The mediating role of digital health literacy on the relationship of social isolation and digital technology anxiety among older cancer patients.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- How Cancer Online Support Groups Work, for Whom, and in What Circumstances: Realist Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Review
- Helping people navigate and make sense of cancer information: challenges and perspectives.Future oncology (London, England) · 2026Article
- Social Networks of Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Article
- Public Trust in Different Sources of Information: Gaps in Rural Residents and Cancer Patients.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Evaluation of the multifaceted role of social media in cancer patient care.Ecancermedicalscience · 2025Article
- "Crying in the Wilderness"-The Use of Web-Based Support in Telomere Biology Disorders: Thematic Analysis.JMIR formative research · 2024Article
- Patient considerations of social media account management after death.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024Article
- "Should I Prioritize My Cancer or My Diabetes?": Patient-Perceived Barriers to Co-Managing Cancer and Diabetes Mellitus.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2024Article
- The Use of Social Media to Express and Manage Medical Uncertainty in Dyskeratosis Congenita: Content Analysis.JMIR infodemiology · 2024Article
- Social media use and health promotion among cancer survivors.Psycho-oncology · 2024Article
- Designing, Conducting, and Reporting Survey Studies: A Primer for Researchers.Journal of Korean medical science · 2023Review
- Women's experience of the health information process involving a digital information tool before commencing radiation therapy for breast cancer: a deductive interview study.BMC health services research · 2023Article
- Habits of Using Social Media and the Internet in Psoriasis Patients.Dermatology practical & conceptual · 2022Article
- Global online interest in cervical cancer care in the time of COVID-19: An infodemiology study.Gynecologic oncology reports · 2022Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
16 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveCancer patients may turn to social media (SM) to cope with distress. We investigated associations between distress and internet/SM use for cancer information/support.
methodsAdult patients at a Canadian cancer centre completed a cross-sectional survey on sociodemographics, health status, use of cancer online resources and distress (EQ5D-5L). Statistical models adjusted for relevant variables.
resultsOf 376 participants, median age was 52 years, time since diagnosis was 1.63 years, 272 (74%) had post-secondary education and 192 (51%) were female. For cancer information/support, 276 (73%) used internet and 147 (39%) SM. Dose response relationships were observed between distress and cancer-related internet (p = 0.02), and SM use (p < 0.001). Respondents using internet/SM for cancer information/support reported greater internet confidence (internet OR = 4.0, 95% CI: 1.9-8.3; SM OR = 4.18, 95%, CI: 1.9-11.3), higher education (internet OR = 3.0, 95% CI: 1.7-5.2; SM OR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.2-4.1) and were more likely female (internet OR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.5-4.6; SM OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.3-3.4). For SM for cancer information/support, more used SM > 30 min daily (OR = 3.4; 95% CI: 2.1-5.7), and were distressed (OR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.0-2.7). SM benefits were to learn about cancer (93; 25%), distract from cancer (85; 23%) and connect with survivors (81; 22%). SM limitations were privacy (161; 43%), quality (90; 24%) and personal applicability (85; 23%). Females used SM more to connect with survivors than males (p = 0.001).
conclusionsGreater internet confidence, higher education and being female were associated with cancer-related internet/SM use. Distressed cancer patients were also more likely to turn to SM. Privacy concerns may limit SM use for coping. Future research should determine how to optimize SM in caring for and connecting with patients and reduce cancer-related distress.
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