Lai Yuyuan Kylie, Ye Jizhou Francis, Yan Changhao, Zhao Xinshu
Institute of Collaborative Innovation, University of Macau, Macao.
Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Oklahoma, Norman, USA.
Patient Educ Couns. 2025 Aug;137:108799. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2025.108799. Epub 2025 Apr 24.
The psychological distress faced by individuals with a family cancer history (FCH) has emerged as a significant concern. This study examined the relationship between Internet health information seeking (IHIS) and psychological distress, focusing on the mediating roles of cancer information overload and cancer worry and the moderating role of patient-clinician communication of Internet searches.
In 2023, a nationally representative online survey was conducted. This research encompassed a cohort of 580 Chinese adults with FCH and no personal cancer history. Moderated mediation analysis was employed.
IHIS was not directly associated with psychological distress. However, it increased cancer information overload and cancer worry, which in turn exacerbated psychological distress. In addition, among people who discussed their online searches with healthcare providers, the positive association between IHIS and cancer information overload became nonsignificant.
The current study elucidates a mediation mechanism of cancer information overload and cancer worry in understanding the association between IHIS and psychological distress among individuals with FCH. Patient-clinician communication serves a prophylactic role by attenuating these adverse effects.
Encouraging patient-clinician dialogues about Internet health information may be promising in curbing cancer information overload. Healthcare providers should proactively engage in such discussions to support patients' psychological health.
有家族癌症病史（FCH）的个体所面临的心理困扰已成为一个重大问题。本研究考察了互联网健康信息搜索（IHIS）与心理困扰之间的关系，重点关注癌症信息过载和癌症担忧的中介作用以及患者与临床医生关于互联网搜索的沟通的调节作用。
2023年，开展了一项具有全国代表性的在线调查。本研究纳入了580名有家族癌症病史且无个人癌症病史的中国成年人队列。采用了调节中介分析。
互联网健康信息搜索与心理困扰无直接关联。然而，它增加了癌症信息过载和癌症担忧，进而加剧了心理困扰。此外，在与医疗服务提供者讨论过其在线搜索情况的人群中，互联网健康信息搜索与癌症信息过载之间的正相关变得不显著。
本研究阐明了癌症信息过载和癌症担忧在理解有家族癌症病史个体的互联网健康信息搜索与心理困扰之间关联中的中介机制。患者与临床医生的沟通通过减轻这些不利影响起到预防作用。
鼓励患者与临床医生就互联网健康信息进行对话，在抑制癌症信息过载方面可能很有前景。医疗服务提供者应积极参与此类讨论，以支持患者的心理健康。
