Use of the internet by colorectal cancer patients

Information needs across the colorectal cancer care continuum: scoping the literature

Because cancer care requires a multifaceted approach, providing useful and timely information to people with colorectal cancer may be fragmented and inconsistent. Our interest was in examining what has and has not captured the attention of researchers speaking to the information needs of people with colorectal cancer. We followed Arksey and O'Malley's framework for the methodology of scoping review. Focusing solely on colorectal cancer, we analysed 239 articles to get a picture of which information needs and sources of information, as well as the timing of providing information, were attended to. Treatment-related information received the most mentions (26%). Healthcare professionals (49%) were mentioned as the most likely source of information. Among articles focused on one stage of the care continuum, post-treatment (survivorship) received the most attention (16%). Only 27% of the articles consulted people with colorectal cancer and few attended to diet/nutrition and bowel management. This study examined the numerical representation of issues to which researchers attend, not the quality of the mentions. We ponder, however, on the relationship between the in/frequency of mentions and the actual information needs of people with colorectal cancer as well as the availability, sources and timing of information.

Information on the Internet about colorectal cancer: patient attitude and potential toward Web browsing. A prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Patients with colorectal cancer who seek to improve their knowledge of health and treatment options can now access in a few seconds data that would previously have required hours of research. Our aim was to evaluate the attitudes of patients toward Web browsing for information on colorectal cancer.

METHODS

We surveyed all patients attending a colorectal cancer follow-up clinic between January and August 2007 on their use of the Internet to obtain information on colorectal cancer.

RESULTS

In all, 439 patients with mean age of 68.6 years participated in the study. Of these, 24% reported using the Internet to obtain colorectal cancer information. Most participants used the Google search engine. Only 13% of participants confirmed that colorectal cancer information on the Internet was helpful in decision-making. Patients under the age of 65 years were more likely to have Internet access (p < 0.001), more likely to use the Internet to find colorectal cancer information (p = 0.005) and more likely to access a site recommended by a colorectal specialist (p = 0.002). Among Internet users, men were slightly more likely than women to use the Internet, although the difference was not significant (p = 0.20).

CONCLUSION

The Internet is a useful tool for disseminating information about colorectal cancer. The best sites are still difficult for patients to distinguish from the thousands of sites returned by search engines. This study demonstrates that the level of potential interest is sufficient to justify the development of a departmental or regional colorectal cancer network of websites and indicates areas of interest for patients.