How do cancer patients navigate the public information environment? Understanding patterns and motivations for movement among information sources.
Little is known about how patients move among information sources to fulfill unmet needs. We interviewed 43 breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer patients. Using a grounded theory approach, we identified patterns and motivations for movement among information sources. Overall, patients reported using one source (e.g., newspaper) followed by the use of another source (e.g., Internet), and five key motivations for such cross-source movement emerged. Patients' social networks often played a central role in this movement. Understanding how patients navigate an increasingly complex information environment may help clinicians and educators to guide patients to appropriate, high-quality sources.
Nagler
Rebekah H
RH
Center of Excellence in Cancer Communication Research, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. rnagler@asc.upenn.edu
Romantan
Anca
A
Kelly
Bridget J
BJ
Stevens
Robin S
RS
Gray
Stacy W
SW
Hull
Shawnika J
SJ
Ramirez
A Susana
AS
Hornik
Robert C
RC
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009524:Newspapers as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*