TY - JOUR
T1 - An exploratory study in breast cancer of factors involved in the use and communication with health professionals of Internet information
AU - Ochoa-Arnedo, Cristian
AU - Flix-Valle, Aida
AU - Casellas-Grau, Anna
AU - Casanovas-Aljaro, Nuria
AU - Herrero, Olga
AU - Sumalla, Enric C.
AU - de Frutos, María Lleras
AU - Sirgo, Agustina
AU - Rodríguez, Ana
AU - Campos, Gloria
AU - Valverde, Yolanda
AU - Travier, Noémie
AU - Medina, Joan Carles
N1 - Funding Information:
This study has been funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the project (FIS PI15/01278) co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF, “a way to build Europe” //FONDOS FEDER “una manera de hacer Europa.” Grup de recerca consolidat: Recerca en serveis sanitaris en càncer, 2017SGR00735. It was also partially supported by grants from Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer and the Generalitat de Catalunya (grant number 2014SGR0635). None of the sponsors was involved in the implementation of the study. Acknowledgments
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2020/10/1
Y1 - 2020/10/1
N2 - Objective: To study the impact of the spontaneous use of Internet on breast cancer patients and on their relationship with health professionals. Methods: A mixed methodology was used. Two questionnaires were designed through three focus groups, and then administered to 186 patients and 59 professionals in order to assess: (1) patients’ use of Internet for health-related information and (2) the impact of this information on patients’ psychological outcomes and on their relationship with professionals. Results: Patients spent more time looking for illness-related information after diagnosis, using interactive communities more than static information websites. Patients and professionals disagreed about the use of Internet in terms of the knowledge it provides, and its psychological impact. The main barrier reported by patients regarding the sharing of online information with their professionals was the belief that it would damage their relationship. Conclusions: Both professionals and patients have a protectionist conception of the therapeutic relationship. This attitude tends to dismiss the positive impact that the use of Internet and the new communication tools may have in cancer patients. New resources should provide an “Internet Prescription” and modes of interaction to facilitate a more open digital communication.
AB - Objective: To study the impact of the spontaneous use of Internet on breast cancer patients and on their relationship with health professionals. Methods: A mixed methodology was used. Two questionnaires were designed through three focus groups, and then administered to 186 patients and 59 professionals in order to assess: (1) patients’ use of Internet for health-related information and (2) the impact of this information on patients’ psychological outcomes and on their relationship with professionals. Results: Patients spent more time looking for illness-related information after diagnosis, using interactive communities more than static information websites. Patients and professionals disagreed about the use of Internet in terms of the knowledge it provides, and its psychological impact. The main barrier reported by patients regarding the sharing of online information with their professionals was the belief that it would damage their relationship. Conclusions: Both professionals and patients have a protectionist conception of the therapeutic relationship. This attitude tends to dismiss the positive impact that the use of Internet and the new communication tools may have in cancer patients. New resources should provide an “Internet Prescription” and modes of interaction to facilitate a more open digital communication.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - Internet prescription
KW - Oncology
KW - Therapeutic relationship
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85079141549&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00520-020-05335-x
DO - 10.1007/s00520-020-05335-x
M3 - Article
C2 - 32034515
AN - SCOPUS:85079141549
SN - 0941-4355
VL - 28
SP - 4989
EP - 4996
JO - Supportive Care in Cancer
JF - Supportive Care in Cancer
IS - 10
ER -