Preferences for different sources of information about cancer

A wide range of cancer information resources is available to patients and t heir relatives, who are increasingly acting as independent learners. In ord er to examine preferences for different types of information and to establi sh the appropriateness of providing a Web-based cancer information resource (CancerHelp UK) a questionnaire survey was undertaken, Of 258 questionnair es distributed to patients attending for oncology outpatient or general pra ctice appointments, 205 (80%) were suitable for analysis. 74% (95% confiden ce interval 68% to 80%) of participants wanted as much information as possi ble. All participants cited people most frequently as a future source of ca ncer information. All participants frequently cited television as a source of both general and cancer-specific information, Despite a lack of computer experience patients were significantly more likely than other groups to sa y that they would like to use the Web-based resource. It is suggested that such resources are likely to be increasingly well used, particularly by can cer patients, given the growth in health information on the Web and develop ments in delivery of digital information into the home via television. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.