Relationships among Internet health information use, patient behavior and self efficacy in newly diagnosed cancer patients who contact the National Cancer Institute’s NCI Atlantic Region Cancer Information Service (CIS)

This NCI funded study examined the relationship between the use of Internet health information by people newly diagnosed with cancer (N=500), with patient task behavior and perceived self efficacy. Study variables were compared among Direct users of Internet health information (people using the Internet themselves), Indirect users of Internet health information (people receiving Internet health information from friends or family members), and Non-users of Internet health information (people not using the Internet or receiving health information from the Internet). The subjects were recruited from persons who called the Atlantic Region of the NCI’s Cancer Information Service (CIS), located at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA. Follow up phone interviews were done with participants six weeks after initial contact to assess impact of the use of the Internet on perceived patient task behavior and self efficacy. Results show significant relationships between Internet use and all study variables.