title: A comparison of the information needs of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer in Malaysia and the United kingdom.
abstract: Little is known about the information needs of women with breast cancer in non-Western societies. This study examined the priority information needs of 100 women with breast cancer in Malaysia and compared the findings to previous work involving 150 women diagnosed with breast cancer in the United Kingdom. The study used a valid and reliable measure, the Information Needs Questionnaire (INQ). The INQ contained 9 items of information related to physical, psychological, and social care, used successfully in Canada and the United Kingdom. The INQ was shown to have cross-cultural relevance and sensitivity. For Malaysian women, information about likelihood of cure, sexual attractiveness, and spread of disease were the most important information needs. For UK women, similar priorities were evident, apart from the item on sexual attractiveness, which was ranked much lower by women in the United Kingdom. The cultural similarities and differences that emerged from this study have implications for nurses in the cancer field caring for people from a diversity of cultural backgrounds. Breast care nurses are not a feature of the Malaysian healthcare system, although the findings from this study support the view that specialist nurses have a vital role to play in meeting the psychosocial needs of women with breast cancer in non-Western societies.
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Raja Lexshimi Raja
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Gopal
authors.forename: Kinta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Beaver
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: Nik Safiah Nik
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Ismail
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D018401:Sample Size; D019529:Sexuality / Q000208:ethnology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology