title: The information needs of cancer patients in the Pretoria and Witwatersrand area.
abstract: More than 48,500 South Africans annually are confronted with the diagnosis of cancer. (Sitas, 1994) Judging from the literature it would seem that the acquisition of information about the various aspects of their disease is a very important coping mechanism for the cancer patient. Various studies concerning the information needs of cancer patients have been published in the USA, the UK and Australia. Similar studies have not yet been published in South Africa. In this article the information needs of cancer patients in South Africa are tabulated based upon research done for the fulfillment of requirements for a Masters degree in Information Studies at the Rand Afrikaans University. Information Services available to these patients are then also described in detail. Because of the sensitive nature of the subject questionnaires were compiled in co-operation with medical professionals who treat cancer patients. The questionnaire mainly concentrates on the physical and therapeutic aspects of the disease. Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are looked at. The research population consisted of 200 cancer patients who were receiving treatment at various treatment centres in the Pretoria-Witwatersrand area. The statistical processing of the results confirmed that the majority of the cancer patients need detailed information about the various aspects of their disease. For example more than 75% of respondents indicated that they would like to receive detailed information about reasons and possible side effects as well as ways of minimising the side effects of all the treatment methods ranging from diagnostic tests to surgery as well as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Above 80% of respondents wanted to be informed about the possible success rate of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy in their specific cancer. It is interesting to note that 78.5% of the respondents wished to be informed about the prognosis/survival rate of their specific cancer. The two preferred methods of communication indicated were firstly personal contact and then a combination of personal contact and booklets. An important conclusion which can be reached is that co-operation between the medical professionals, the information services and the patient and his family is essential if the information needs of the cancer patient are to be met satisfactorily.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Pretoria.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: McLoughlin
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Oosthuizen
mesh_terms: D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires