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- Buntrock, Stefan, et al.
(author)
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The Internet and prostate cancer patients Searching for and finding information.
- 2007
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In: Scandinavian journal of urology and nephrology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5599 .- 1651-2065. ; 41:5, s. 367-74
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective. To define the characteristics of prostate cancer patients who use the Internet. Material and methods. In October 2002, 511 prostate cancer patients from Stockholm-Gotland County completed a postal questionnaire consisting of 146 questions regarding use of the Internet, demographic factors, level of information about the disease and its treatment, quality of life and trade-off possibilities. Results. The response rate was 86.5% (n=511) and the mean age of the respondents was 71 years. A total of 210 men (41.1%) had access to the Internet. Eighty-two men (16.4%) had looked for information on prostate cancer, either by themselves or with the aid of others. Among men aged 50-60 years, 39% were Internet users, compared to 8% among men aged 75-80 years; the figures for university graduates versus those who had only attended elementary school were 33% and 3%, respectively. Fifty of the 82 men (61%) who searched for information regarded themselves as being satisfactorily informed by online information. Conclusions. Of the men in this cohort, 16% searched the Internet for information regarding their prostate cancer. Young and well-educated men utilized the Internet more frequently than others, but they did not find information more often than older and less well-educated men. It is possible that the Internet promotes social inequality in obtaining healthcare in favor of well-educated, highly paid individuals.
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| 2. |
- Sunny, Lizzy, et al.
(author)
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Predictors for the symptomatic prostate cancer patient's delays in seeking care.
- 2008
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In: European Journal of Cancer. - : Elsevier BV. - 0959-8049. ; 44:5, s. 733-739
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim This study aims to determine the predictors for the symptomaticprostatecancerpatient’sdelays in seekingcare. Methods We followed a cohort of 931 men with prostatecancer from Stockholm County (Sweden) asking about socio-demographic and information-level characteristics as well as the length of delay in seekingcare. Results Of the 511 patients who returned a completed questionnaire, 219 (43%) reported having clinical symptoms before prostatecancer was diagnosed. Of all men with clinical symptoms, self-employed men were more likely to make an early first contact with the health-care system than pensioners or men with other employment (relative risk (RR), 3.9; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4–11.0). Men who had obtained moderate or much information from the internet about prostatecancer were more likely to have made an early first contact with the health-care system (RR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3–3.9). Men who had obtained moderate or much information from health-care staff (RR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0–1.6), or from any doctor (RR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0–1.8) or from family members/acquaintances (RR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0–1.9) had an early first visit to the health-care system. Men who were 70 to 80 years old started treatment earlier than men who were 50 to 69 years old (RR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4–3.6). Conclusions The patients’ level of information about prostatecancer obtained from the internet and other sources such as the health-care system, doctors or family members/acquaintances coupled with their employment status were influential in leading to early first contact and first visit to the health-care system. Older patients started treatment earlier than younger patients.
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