The information needs and source preferences of women with breast cancer and their family members: a review of the literature published between 1988 and 1998

A comprehensive and critical literature review was conducted to examine the information needs and source preferences of women with breast cancer and t heir family members. Relevant papers published between 1988 and 1998 were r eviewed and despite their having several methodological weaknesses, a numbe r of conclusions can still be drawn. First, women with breast cancer have d istinct needs for information throughout their breast cancer journeys, indi cating that information needs change with time since diagnosis and with tre atment-related events. Second, family members of women with breast cancer a lso have substantial needs for information. Third, women with breast cancer and their family members often prefer verbal forms of information from hea lth care professionals (HCPs), particularly around the time of diagnosis. W omen with breast cancer, however, are often dissatisfied with the informati on they receive from HCPs. Further, the family members of women with breast cancer often perceive their information needs to be ignored by HCPs. Final ly, few studies have focused specifically on the information needs and sour ce preferences of family members of women with breast cancer. These finding s have a number of implications for nursing, both for clinical practice and nursing research, and these are discussed in the review.