JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Background Today, many cancer patients engage in online health information seeking (OHIS). However, not much is known about how patients differ in their amount of OHIS. In addition, OHIS might influence patient participation during a consultation with a physician, which might mediate the effects on patient outcomes.

Objective:

The aim of this study was twofold. First, to provide insight into which personal characteristic and psychosocial factors affect patients’ OHIS. The second aim was to test the hypothesis that effects of OHIS on patient outcomes are mediated by patient participation during the consultation.

Methods:

Patient participation was operationalized in terms of patient’s absolute word count, the relative contribution of the patient, compared to the healthcare provider and the number of questions and assertions expressed during the consultation. Patient outcomes measured were anxiety after the consultation, satisfaction with the consultation and information recall. Participants in this study were recently diagnosed colorectal cancer patients recruited from six hospitals in the Netherlands (N = 72). Data was collected by means of questionnaires and audio-recorded consultations of patients with healthcare providers prior to their surgery.

Results:

Results showed that younger patients, higher educated patients, patients that had a monitoring coping style and patients that experienced more cancer-related stress engaged more in OHIS. In turn, OHIS was related to patient participation in terms of patient’s absolute word count, but not in terms of relative contribution to the consultation or expressing questions and assertions. We did not find effects of OHIS on anxiety and recall mediated by patient participation. However, we found patient’s absolute word count to significantly mediate the positive association between OHIS and patients’ satisfaction with the consultation.

Conclusions:

The results show positive implications of OHIS for patient’s care experience and thereby the importance to help patients engage in OHIS. However, the results also suggest that OHIS is only successful in increasing a single aspect of patient participation, which might also explain the absence of effects on anxiety and recall. Results suggest that more beneficial effects on patient outcomes may be achieved when health care providers support patients in seeking information online.