Cancer Patients' Attitudes About Online Health Care
Author Information
Author(s): Sheryl P LaCoursiere, M Tish Knobf, Ruth McCorkle, Donna Helft
Primary Institution: Yale University School of Nursing
Hypothesis
What are cancer patients' attitudes toward online health care?
Conclusion
Cancer patients are generally eager to obtain and offer information and support online, but they are skeptical of unknown sources.
Supporting Evidence
- The majority of participants were married and held graduate degrees.
- Participants reported a mean score of 128.46 on the ATOHC scale.
- Respondents felt they coped better with their illness due to online support.
Takeaway
Cancer patients like to use the Internet to find and share information about their health, but they are careful about where they get that information from.
Methodology
The study used the Attitudes Toward Online Health Care (ATOHC) survey with 41 cancer patients who used the Internet for health information.
Potential Biases
The study may not generalize to underserved populations or those without Internet access.
Limitations
The sample size is small and may not represent all cancer patients; results are based on a self-selected group with higher education and income.
Participant Demographics
{"mean_age":57.68,"gender_distribution":{"male":53.7,"female":46.3},"marital_status":{"married":80.5,"divorced":7.3,"single":7.3},"education":{"graduate_degree":43.9,"bachelor_degree":14.6,"some_college":26.9,"high_school":12.2},"income":{"≥ $75000":17.1,"$50000–74999":24.4,"$35000–49999":17.1,"$15000–34999":17.0,"$5000–14999":7.3}}
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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