title: Peering into the Deep: Characterizing the Internet Search Patterns of Patients with Gynecologic Cancers.
abstract: Cancer patients are increasingly using the Internet to learn about their disease, connect with others undergoing similar treatments and obtain support outside of the clinical encounter. The goal of this project was to explore how patients with gynecological cancers (ovarian, cervical, and endometrial) used the Internet as an information resource and how this influenced their treatment decisions and interactions with their health care specialists. From 2013 to 2014, ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancer patients attending a comprehensive cancer centre were invited to complete a 24-item paper questionnaire detailing their experiences in searching the Internet. Twenty-eight patients completed survey. The largest portion of participants had an ovarian cancer diagnosis (61 %), followed by endometrial (29 %) and cervical cancer (11 %). Results indicate that the majority (85 %) of patients used the Internet as a resource to learn about their gynecological cancers. Most respondents (89 %) used Google as their search engine, and some used multiple search engines. The most frequently searched topics included treatment information (85 %), management of symptoms/treatment toxicity (59 %), and alternative treatments (37 %). Many patients (74 %) felt that the Internet was a useful tool for understanding their diagnosis; however, 33 % reported that the Internet was somewhat hard to understand. Most (78 %) patients reported that Internet information increased their understanding of their diagnosis, and 56 % felt it did not affect their decision-making. This study highlights how gynecological patients are accessing cancer information online and how physicians may support this within the clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. pingledew@bccancer.bc.ca.|Department of Radiation Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Agency-Fraser Valley Centre, 13750 96th Ave, Surrey, BC, V3V 1Z2, Canada. pingledew@bccancer.bc.ca.|Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. pingledew@bccancer.bc.ca.
authors.forename: Paris-Ann
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ingledew
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010379:Peer Group; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Cervical cancer; Endometrial cancer; Health information; Internet; Ovarian cancer