Cancer patients' information seeking behaviour related to online electronic healthcare records

• Patients' online access to their EHR together with the rapid proliferation of medical information on the Internet has changed the way patients use the information to learn about their health. It is well documented that patients often turn to the Internet to find information about their health and care. However, little is known about patients’ information seeking behaviour when using online EHRs. By using information horizons as an analytical tool this paper aims to investigate the information behaviour of cancer patients who have chosen to view their EHRs (readers) and to those who have not made that option (non-readers). Thirty interviews were conducted with patients. Based on information horizons, it seems that non-reading is associated with living in a narrower information world in comparison to readers. The findings do not suggest that the smallness would be a result of an active avoidance of information, or that it would be counterproductive for the patients.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap -- Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Media and Communications -- Information Studies (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap -- Systemvetenskap, informationssystem och informatik med samhällsvetenskaplig inriktning (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Media and Communications -- Information Systems, Social aspects (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Electronic healthcare records

health information

information behaviour

information horizons

patients

Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap

Library and Information Science

Information Systems

Informationssystem

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)