USING INFORMATION FOR EMOTION-FOCUSED COPING - CANCER-PATIENTS USE OFA CANCER HELPLINE

Objectives. This study investigated the role of information in coping through use of a cancer specific telephone helpline by 101 adults with cancer. Design. Use of the service was measured by interview schedule between 3 and 11 days after participants called the helpline. Selecte d items were coded to compute scores of emotion-focused coping and of problem-focused coping. This permitted investigation of the relationsh ip between mode of coping and other aspects of helpline use and charac teristics of the caller. Methods. An interview schedule was administer ed over the telephone. Results. The findings indicate that information received over the telephone was frequently associated with emotion-fo cused coping efforts as well as for problem-focused efforts. Mailed li terature was also associated with significant emotion-focused coping. Conclusions. Implications for the conceptualization of information use in coping models and measures are discussed and suggestions made for the development of cancer information services.