ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2021
Patients With Cancer Searching for Cancer- or Health-Specific Web-Based Information: Performance Test Analysis.
Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Factors influencing the e-health literacy in cancer patients: a systematic review.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2023Pooled it
- Content quality and reliability of mental health videos for cancer patients on social media platforms: a cross-sectional study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Characteristics of digital health technophobia and associated factors in older cancer patients: a latent profile analysis.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Online information for patients on cancer diets - a comparison of German- and English-language websites.BMC medical informatics and decision making · 2026Article
- Patterns and associated factors of online health information seeking behaviors among young women diagnosed with breast cancer in China.Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursing · 2025Article
- A self-report measure of digital skills needed to use digital health tools among older adults-the Skills Measurement and Readiness Training for Digital Health (SMART Digital Health) Scale.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA · 2025Article
- 'I knew I had to drive my own bus': perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals on improving information provision to rare cancer survivors.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2025Article
- Association between the e-healthy literacy and cancer prevention consciousness in rural China: cancer cognition acting as a mediator.Global health research and policy · 2025Article
- Development and effectiveness evaluation of an interactive e-learning environment to enhance digital health literacy in cancer patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in digital health · 2025Article
- Online description of services provided in adult survivorship programs across U.S. accredited cancer centers.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSearching the internet for cancer-related information helps patients with cancer satisfy their unmet information needs and empowers 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 skill to search, select, appraise, and apply web-based health information.
objectiveWe aim to study the operational, navigational, information, and evaluation skills and problems of patients with cancer performing cancer-related search tasks using the internet.
methodsA total of 21 patients with cancer were recruited during their stay at the rehabilitation clinic for oncological rehabilitation. Participants performed eight cancer-related search tasks using the internet. The participants were asked to think aloud while performing the tasks, and the screen activities were recorded. The types and frequencies of performance problems were identified and coded into categories following an inductive coding process. In addition, the performance and strategic characteristics of task execution were summarized descriptively.
resultsAll participants experienced problems or difficulties in executing the tasks, and a substantial percentage of tasks (57/142, 40.1%) could not be completed successfully. The participants' performance problems were coded into four categories, namely operating the computer and web browser, navigating and orientating, using search strategies, and evaluating the relevance and reliability of web-based information. The most frequent problems occurred in the third and fourth categories. A total of 90% (19/21) of participants used nontask-related search terms or nonspecific search terms. A total of 95% (20/21) of participants did not control for the source or topicality of the information found. In addition, none of the participants verified the information on 1 website with that on another website for each task.
conclusionsA substantial group of patients with cancer did not have the necessary skills to benefit from cancer-related internet searches. Future interventions are needed to support patients in the development of sufficient internet-searching skills, focusing particularly on information and evaluation skills.
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