title: Factors related to use of the Internet as a source of health information by urological cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to describe the profile of urological cancer patients who look for health information on the Internet and to analyse the factors related to use of the Internet as a source of health information.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional descriptive study using individual, semi-structured, questionnaire-based interviews was carried out in oncology clinics in a hospital in Granada (Spain) in a sample group of 169 patients with prostate, bladder and kidney cancer. The dependent variable was use of the Internet as a source of health information. The independent variables were sociodemographic variables, health status, relationship with healthcare services, patient's role in decision-making process, satisfaction with healthcare, Internet use, Internet skills and attitude. Data analyses include descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the patients in the sample group, 72.2 % had prostate cancer, 19.4 % had bladder cancer and 8.3 % had kidney cancer. Only 11.2 % of patients in the group used the Internet as a source of health information. These patients were typically men of an average age of 62 years, who live in urban areas, who have completed secondary or university education, with a high income and who usually share the role of decision maker with their doctor. Patients who use the Internet as a source of health information usually look for support from psychological support groups, have family members who also look for information on the Internet and prefer sources of information other than those provided by the health services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study outlines the profile of urological cancer patients who use the Internet as a source of health information. Internet use is related to a patient's attitude towards decision making, level of education and whether or not they look for information from sources other than the health system itself.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Virgen de Nieves, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Valero-Aguilera
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bermúdez-Tamayo
authors.forename: José Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: García-Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Pernett
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Alonso
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suárez-Charneco
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guerrero-Tejada
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cózar-Olmo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D014571:Urologic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*